We use only arabica beans, which flourish at altitudes of 4,000 to 6,000 feet. Their growth is limited to countries that lie no more than 1000 miles north or south of the equator, and cultivation is restricted to tropical climates and mountainous slopes free from frost. Trees often have blossoms, green berries and ripe red cherries on the same branch so the crop must be hand-picked. Since pickers must make many trips to the same tree, harvesting is highly labor-intensive. As a result, arabica coffee beans are sold at higher prices than their cousin, robusta beans, which are most commonly found in commercial blends.
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of the coffee tree.
They usually grow in pairs in a red cherry, although a single round bean called a peaberry occasionally forms instead. Once harvested, beans must be quickly processed using either a wet method or a dry unwashed method, with the availability of water often dictating the method used. In the wet method, the cherry's outer pulp is mechanically removed, and the beans go through a carefully controlled fermentation process, followed by thorough rinsing and drying. In the dry method, the cherries are placed in the sun for several weeks and raked to facilitate even drying. Once dried the fruit pulp is removed, which often results in the distinct flavors of the plant's origin.