Coffea Arabica, I would argue is by far one of the most spread strains of the coffea family. Often seen as a more luxurious and sweeter strain for some brew methods. When you do not want the bitterness of the Canephora or more commonly known as Robusta.

The story of this perfect combination. The sweet, bitter and sour bean with fruity flavours starts in a era far far away from our own times. Long before South America became one of the major producers of the fruit. And long before Antoine de Jussieu wrongly initially classified it as Jasminum arabicum instead of in the coffea family. Antoine made his research from a plant he lent from the Botanical Gardens of Amsterdam. It wasn’t until 1737 that Carl Linneus classified it in the Coffea Family.

Finding the duality genome in Arabica

The coffee beans that we know as Arabica, actually a natural occurred hybrid from 1 million to 500 000 years ago between the two strains Canephora and Eugenioides in the African continent. Exactly where is a bit hard to specify, but much suggests that the northern regions of modern day Uganda. Here we trace it to the sub-genome for Canephora in this region is the most closely related strain.

When scientists studied the genomes of the arabica strain was done in the 1990s. The results found that arabica has two different sets of genomes instead of the usual one. Canephora grown for its intense and bitter taste, mostly seen in espresso. Eugeniodies on the other hand is quite the hidden gem that you hardly see roasted out on the market. If you see it, it will probably go for a around a thousands euro per kilo, so drink it with respect. Though its said that the taste is a lot like a pure sweet nectar resembling that of stevia, and not a lot like a traditional coffee. This gives us quite good indicators about where the sweetness of the arabica comes from. And i think a lot of us is happy for this happy little accident that Bob Ross would put it.

Unfortunately because of the allotetraploid origin the species has very low genetic diversity, making it quite vulnerable for pests and diseases.

Cultivation of the arabica strain

The cultivation, refinement begins a few years later. In the fifteenth- to sixteenth-century the initial cultivation began in Yemen. When entering the 1600s we will see an more rapidly spreading of the strain throughout the whole world. All from a few smuggled seeds that is commonly known as the seven seeds. These seeds is used the Dutch to the foundation the of the indian Coffea Arabica, or Typica linage.

One plant shipped to Amsterdam later made its way to the Caribbean. Thus making the journey to the vicinity continent that has come to dominate the market. The french began their independent cultivation of the arabica on the island of Bourbon, and formed the Bourbon linage.

The two described lineages of strain, Bourbon and Typica is the lineages that the cultivated strains of Arabica comes from. Though there still is a few wild strains occurring naturally in the forests of Ethiopia. Depending on our resident, we might say Coffee, Kaffe, Café, or Kawa for the liquid black gold. Most words for coffee originates from the former Ethiopian province of Kaffa.

Long before cultivation stories of the berries with almost rejuvenating properties had been circulating the different cultures of the region. Presumable we could believe that wild plants was used for the caffeinated properties long before we started to cultivate it. Then use of roasted beans spread from Yemen to the rest of the Arabic civilisations. As the seeds spread so did the knowledge of how to use it for pleasuring the taste buds of the world.

The national brew

Not counting the former subjects of the British crown, coffee has been more or less the national hot beverage of the world. And the consumption of coffee increases every year, even though the production gets it tougher and tougher due to the changes of the climate and the arabicas lack of resilience towards pests and diseases.

One reason that the beverage has been so common, have historically been due to the ability to re-use the beans. A feature that is not that prominent then brewing tea. A second-hand set of tea leaves give not much joy in the taste. Though the coffee does not either the taste is a lot more than with the tea. With the East Indian Companies, that was not part of the British Empire, the coffee also made its way to most of the social classes in the society.

A luxurious item that could be re-used was perfect for like counties like Sweden. With a growing middle to lower class that wanted to try the new ideas of the world. Being able to get their hands of a luxury items like coffee increased demand, which in turn lead to increased import.

So i would like to thank all the farmers, servants and lower class. For the dedication to brew their 8th pitcher on the same sump. So that the market saw the potential and I today can enjoy my fresh brew of locally roasted arabica.

Speaking of Sweden, and Linneus who re-classified the species to Coffea it is said that he reported its potential though dangerous. “It seems to liven the slow and sharpen the stupid, but by drying the brain and nerve system it weakens the body and causes early ageing.” but still “a medicin for those that are weak, dull, phlegmatic and fat.”

“Den synes pigga upp de slöa och skärpa de dumma, men genom att uttorka hjärnan och nervsystemet försvagar den kroppen och orsakar för tidigt åldrande”

”medicin för dem som äro matta, dästa, flegmatiska och feta”.

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