Coffee Beans

Coffee beans come from the seed of a fruit that grows in subtropical climes. The seeds are removed from the fruit, and then roasted and packaged before being sold to coffee shops and stores around the world.

Coffee Bean Varieties

The two most common coffee species are robusta and arabica. Arabica plants, which grow at high altitudes and produce coffee beans with less caffeine and a smoother flavor. Robusta plants grow at lower altitudes and have beans with harsher flavors. These beans also have a higher caffeine content. Many coffee companies, such as Green Mountain, use both kinds of beans in their lines.

The roasting process also affects the final product. The longer the coffee beans roast, the stronger the flavor of the final brew. For example, "regular roast" beans are medium-roasted for a basic coffee. Darker beans that are heavily roasted are called an Italian roast, and are used for espresso. Companies like Green Mountain sometimes mix lightly roasted beans with heavily roasted beans for their coffee blends, such as the company's Harvard blend.

To add more variety to their product lines, some companies develop specially flavored blends, pairing certain roasts with non-traditional flavors like blueberry, vanilla or almond. Often, these flavored blends are offered seasonally. For example, Green Mountain's Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice, with fragrances of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, is popular as a dessert coffee around the holidays.

Coffee For Less is an online coffee center offering a wide variety of flavored coffees in addition to more traditional blends. Many gourmet brands are represented at the store, from Tully's and Lacas to Green Mountain and Starbucks.