The Complex World of Coffee A lot more goes into your morning cup of java than you would imagine. There are two types of coffee: Robusta is easier to grow, is in large supply, is less expensive, has more caffeine and is used mostly as a commercial coffee for national brands. Arabica is higher quality, costs more and is used for milder, gourmet, aromatic coffees, explains Spencer Turer ’91, national sales manager for Mitsui Foods International’s coffee division in Norwood, N.J.

In the coffee business for 15 years, Turer notes that besides Africa, coffee also grows through Southeast Asia, Australia, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, “and there are rumors of it growing in China.” Providence Campus beverage instructor, Jennifer Pereira, notes coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia. She and Turer provided a list of factors, besides origin, that affect the taste, aroma and strength of your morning coffee:

· the altitude where it is grown — the higher, the stronger the flavor
· the type of technology used in processing
· the philosophies of the regions and farms where it is grown
· whether beans are grown organically
· how long and at what temperature the beans are roasted
· the number and type of beans blended together

“I like to tinker with my coffee depending on my mood,” says Pereira. “I try a lot of brands and go for the whole bean.”

No surprise to Turer. “Coffee is a beverage of choice; not a matter of chance. The best coffee is the one you like.”