Coffee may have originated in Africa but throughout the years, other countries have found ways to make it better. For those that want class, nothing compares to the crops that are planted and harvested in Columbia.

Colombian coffee first started in the early 1800s. It wasn’t long before it was exported to Europe and the United States. Trade between these two countries exceeds more than 11 million bags per year with Starbucks being one of its major clients.

This has changed later on as Starbucks itself decided to buy the plantations since it is much cheaper to own them rather than getting these from a supplier.

Colombian coffee beans are from the Coffea Arabic Tree. These are grown in the mountains under the shade of banana and rubber trees so they are able to get the right amount of nutrients from the sun. People can find most coffee bean plantations in the central and eastern regions of the country. These places are not far from civilization given that these near the cities of Medellin, Armenia, and the capital of which is Bogota.

It usually takes 4 to 5 years for these to grow so farmers are able to pick the beans. The farmers who tend the fields practice the dry process in order to produce the finished product. Once they are harvested, they are soaked in cold water for 24 hours which is almost the same technique in fermenting grapes in order to make wine.

Not all the beans will meet the standards set by the farmers. It is only after washing that the beans are separated so that only the best will go through the final process of being dried in the sun to lower their acidity level then packed and delivered to the customer.

Despite its flavor, coffee experts will argue that more people prefer the taste and aroma of those coming from Brazil. Regardless of what brand the customer decides to buy, the different products available at the grocery store each have a different taste that people will appreciate.

It wouldn’t hurt to try a particular brand than switch to something else later on or better yet try mixing the two and see how it will taste. This practice is sometimes done by cafes to produce new flavors and concoctions that customers will enjoy should they decide to come in and hang out with friends.

Coffee may be a common beverage, but it has a great story to tell.? The start of the lowly coffee bean has been a slow process that eventually led it into the state of prominence that it now enjoys. And not only that, but there are also some very interesting facts about coffee that you should know.

The enduring fascination of a man with coffee has stemmed from a rich history that took the coffee bean from its origins in Ethiopia to its eventual spread into the worldwide consciousness. The first coffee plants were so highly regarded by the Arabs that they prevented its spread to other countries by boiling the coffee berries first before they marketed them to prevent any chance of being cultivated outside their territory.

Coffee, when it was first introduced in Europe, was first known as Arabian Wine. In England during the 1600s, coffee was considered as a medicinal tonic or brew, probably due to its stimulating effects. The belief in its medicinal properties became so seriously accepted that wild medical contraptions were eventually built in order to administer a mixture of coffee and an assortment of heated butter, honey, and oil as accepted treatments for the sick.

It further grew in popularity so much so that it was commonly sold by street vendors in street carts in typical Arabian style. This was the accepted practice of selling coffee all around Europe until the late 1700’s when the first French cafe was opened. Coffee became so popular all over Europe that by 1763, there were over 200 coffee shops in Venice alone.

The popularity and the allure of coffee continue to grow. Currently, about 52 percent of Americans drink coffee regularly. The average annual coffee consumption of a typical American adult is about 400 cups, which amounts to 26.7 gallons. The United States is considered the world’s largest coffee consumer.

It imports an estimated 16 to 20 million bags yearly. This is equivalent to one-third of all coffee exported in the world. The typical coffee drinker in the US drinks an average of 3.4 cups of coffee per day.

In other parts of the world, coffee also holds the same appeal. Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with a yearly consumption of over 400 billion cups. And because of this coffee has become a highly valuable commodity in the world, second only to oil. Scandinavia is considered to have the world’s highest per capita annual coffee consumption, arriving at about 26.4 pounds per person. Japan ranks top three in the world when it comes to coffee consumption.