The Arabica coffee is well known to all the coffee-fans. Grounded and freeze-dried coffee packs with the 100% Arabica sign are considered as the most popular due to the mild taste and lower caffeine level. This species represents at present nearly 60% of world’s coffee cultivation and production. Besides, it is believed to be the first coffee people consume.
The Origins of Arabica
The original home of the plant Coffea Arabica is the ancient Kingdom of Kaffa (modern Ethiopia). There exist many legends about its discovery. One of them says about the Abyssinian goatherd named Kaldi. One day, tending his herd, Kaldi observed his goats to become very energetic after chewing the red berries. The man tasted the berries himself and felt their invigorative effect. He brought his find to monks, who disapproved it at first and threw into the fire. But after smelling the rich and pleasant odor, the monks took the beans out of embers, grounded them up, dissolved in hot water and the first cup of Arabica coffee was born.
Around the 7th century, the drink spread from Ethiopia to Yemen and was named Arabica. The first written description of the beverage prepared from coffee beans came from Arab scholars. They stated that the drink quickly gained the popularity in Arabian world and in 15th century in Mecca was established the first coffee house. For a long time trey remained the monopolists, until in 17th century Baba Budan, a Muslim pilgrim brought some seeds to South-West India.
The Emergence of the New Arabica Varieties
The Arabica coffee appeared in Europe in 1615 due to Venetian traders. The drink was accepted controversially. Some clergymen even asserted it was a Devil’s beverage, but luckily, the then Pope Clement VIII liked it, and Arabica coffee continued its expansion.
In 1650 was opened the first coffee house in England. It was established in Oxford by the man named Jacobs. The coffee houses grew rapidly and the European countries began the competition in creating the plantations to cultivate the popular product. They began to plant Arabica trees in their tropic colonies. The first plantation appeared in Java and Ceylon. From Asia, the beans travelled to the South America. Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, Jamaica and many other Central and South American countries appeared to have perfect climate for Arabica trees. The plant’s travelling ended its cycle when in 1878 the British introduced them to British East Africa.
The changes of soils and climate could not remain the Arabica tree unchanged. In the course of time, each plant acquired according to the region certain peculiarities of the appearance of beans and leaves, taste, etc. That is how Arabica varieties appeared.
The ancestor of all the Arabica varieties is considered Typica. This is that very variety people drank first in Asia and Europe. Typica grows now worldwide and its genetic changes gave us the new tastes of coffee. Besides, people worked for centuries to improve the characteristics of delicate and capricious Arabica tree, to make it more resistant to the temperature changes and nature exposure. At present, there exist more than 40 varieties of Arabica coffee.
Arabica Coffee Today
In modern times, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the whole world. The coffee industry has grown and developed through ages. In 1881, Frenchman Alphonse Allais invented the instant coffee, and after the World War II, the technology was improved to the creation of freeze-dried coffee that allows us today to enjoy our favorite Arabica taste with ease and convenience.