5 Interesting Facts About Coffee

5 Interesting Coffee Facts

For many around the globe, coffee is a way of life from the first wake-up cup of the morning to the perfect accompaniment to close out the evening. Allow us to inspire you with coffee trivia. Or, at the very least, provide you with some fun facts for your next dinner party

1. There are two types of coffee beans, Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica: Rich and aromatic with subtle fruity notes. Arabica is more difficult to grow than Robusta, and to thrive needs to be grown at altitudes. Arabica was not discovered in Arabia but in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) around the 6th century. At the time, Arabia was one of the only countries which drank coffee, hence the name given to this variety.

Robusta: Bitter and acidic, with a stronger coffee taste due to higher caffeine content. Robusta beans are more resilient than Arabica beans and can grow at low altitudes between 200-800 meters. Robusta is used to add depth to an Arabica/Robusta blend and enhance crema as well as flavor to an espresso.

L’OR Espresso blends use the best of both Arabica and Robusta beans to provide you with delicious, layers of flavor in each well-rounded cup of coffee.

A single shot of espresso contains about 50 coffee beans.

2. A single shot of espresso uses about 50 coffee beans.

It only takes a single bad bean to ruin the taste. Our beans are hand-picked by coffee experts, never allowing a single bad seed to pass their inspection. Learn more about the exciting world of coffee production.

Light roast and dark roast have the same amount of caffeine.

3. Dark roast doesn’t necessarily mean less caffeine.

A common coffee myth is that the darker the bean, the less caffeine it has. This was assumed because coffee that is roasted longer will lose more volume during the roasting process compared to light roasts, but when comparing the two roasts by weight, the difference in caffeine levels is negligible.

Where coffee is grown

4. All coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator.

The Arabica tree is notably grown in Ethiopia, India, Guatemala, Colombia, and Brazil, while the Robusta tree is primarily grown in Africa, Indonesia, and India. Both Arabica and Robusta flourish in cool to warm tropical climates, with rich soil conditions, and few pests or diseases that would hinder growth.

The countries that produce the most coffee per year are Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia.

5. The countries that produce the most coffee per year are Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia.

Recent USDA reports show that Brazilian coffee production for Marketing Year 2022/2023 is at 64.3 million bags1 while Vietnamese coffee production is at 31.58 million2, Colombian coffee production at 13 million3, and Indonesian coffee production at 11.35 million4.

References: 1. Brazil: Coffee Annual. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. (2022, July 6). Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/brazil-coffee-annual-7
2. Vietnam: Coffee Annual. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. (2022, July 6). Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/vietnam-coffee-annual-7
3. Colombia: Coffee Annual. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. (2022, July 6). Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/colombia-coffee-annual-6
4. Indonesia: Coffee Annual. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. (2022, July 6). Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/indonesia-coffee-annual-6