The society in its onward furtherance has given rise to an indeed potent brewed beverage, coffee, which has a remarkable duende that attracts millions of people across all ages universally. It occupies a far more compelling position than any other beverage.
Some say that it secures the second position after oil in the list of most valuable commodities today. It exceeds many subsidiary foods in terms of palatability owing to its rich flavour and aroma
Key Takeaways
- Arabic coffee is a brewing method that uses lightly roasted Arabica beans, cardamom, and sometimes saffron, producing a unique, strong flavor.
- Colombian coffee is known for its high-quality Arabica beans, which offer a balanced flavor profile with mild acidity, medium body, and fruity or nutty notes.
- While Arabic and Colombian coffee utilize Arabica beans, their brewing methods, flavor profiles, and additional ingredients differ.
Arabic vs Colombian Coffee
The difference between Arabic and Colombian coffee is that Arabic coffee is produced in the Arabic countries and the beans are not washed during processing, due to which this coffee retains a strong taste whereas Colombian coffee is produced in Columbia and the coffee beans undergo highly skillful processing during which the beans are washed and hence, this coffee has a milder taste in comparison to the Arabic coffee.
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Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (Robusta Coffee) are the two major crash crops from which coffee beans are derived. Coffea Arabica or Arabic coffee is considered to be the very first species of coffee that was cultivated and has its origin in Yemen.
It constitutes the major portion of the global coffee production. Colombian coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans, which are grown in the farms of Colombia.
Due to the difference in regions of production of the two varieties of coffee crops and taking into account the changing soil and climate, Arabic and Colombian coffee differ with respect to their strength, taste, and preparation process.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Arabic Coffee | Colombian Coffee |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Arabian coffee has originated from the Arab countries like Yemen, where it was first cultivated, Egypt and Syria | Colombian coffee is completely made from Arabic coffee beans which are grown in the farms of Colombia |
| Taste | It has a strong taste which isles bitter and less caffeinated than the Robust Coffee | It has a softer and milder taste as compared to the Arabic coffee |
| Processing | The coffee beans extracted from dried cherries are directly roasted without washing | The pulp from coffee beans which are extracted from dried cherries is washed off for 2-3 days via a very skillful process before the beans are roasted |
| Preparation | It needs to be brewed before consumption | It is more of an ‘instant coffee’ and may or may not be brewed before consumption |
| Service | It is served in small decorative cups called ‘finjāns’ up to a few centiliters. It may also be put into a larger kettle called ‘Della’ for pouring purposes. | There is no traditional or specific ay of serving Colombian coffee |
| Side snacks | Dates, dried fruits, or candied nuts are served along with this coffee, in accordance with the traditional Arabic culture | There are no specific complimentary snacks that are served along and it completely depends on the taste of the consumer |
What is Arabic Coffee?
Arabic coffee, also known as Coffea Arabica is more acidic, less bitter and less caffeinated than the Robusta coffee. It is the native crop of Arab countries including Yemen, where it was first cultivated, Egypt and Syria.
These crash crops are 9-12 m tall bearing white flowers, grow in axillary clusters and have an open-branching system. Planted at a height of 1000-1500 m from the mean sea level, these crops require 1600-2500 mm of annual rainfall and a suitable temperature range of 15-25°C.
The crops require mildly acidic, deep, friable, moisture retentive soil that is also quite rich in organic matter. After drying the cherries, beans are removed and directly roasted and there is no washing of beans involved.
Arabic coffee is served to boil hot in small cups with decorative patterns known as ‘finjāns’, few centiliters at a time. It is prepared from beans that are light to heavily roasted and ground, and has a dash of cardamom for additional flavor.
It is traditionally black, unfiltered and sugar-free, and needs to be brewed before consumption. While serving, it is complemented with dates and dried-fruits.
What is Colombian Coffee?
Colombian coffee is globally acknowledged for its superior grade and rich taste. It is grown exclusively in Colombia and completely based on Arabic coffee beans.
It may or may not be brewed and can be prepared instantly. The crash crops here receive a desirable amount of approximately 2000 mm of rainfall annually and optimum temperature, humidity, pH and quality of soil, elevation, and other necessary climatic conditions, which makes it one of the best in the world.
Colombian coffee is considered to have the uppermost crust with respect to its method of processing which excels that of the traditional Arabic coffee. After removal of the beans from the dried cherries, they are washed, making them taste softer and milder.
This involves a highly skilled procedure where the pulp is washed off the beans over a couple of days or more. Unlike the traditional Arabic coffee, there isn’t any specific way of serving the Colombian coffee.
Cups of various sizes and designs can be used and there are several options of side dishes/ snacks to be served along to complete the treat.
Main Differences Between Arabic and Colombian Coffee
- Arabic coffee was first cultivated in Yemen and owes its origin to the Arab countries like Egypt, Syria and Yemen whereas Colombian coffee is made from 100% Arabic coffee beans from crops planted in Colombia.
- Arabic coffee is primarily strong in taste but Colombian coffee in comparison to this has a milder taste due to the difference in processing of the two.
- During the processing of Arabic coffee, beans are not washed and are directly roasted. On the other hand, in case of Colombian coffee, beans are washed off their pulp before roasting.
- Arabic coffee is mandatorily brewed before it is consumed while Colombian coffee is instantly prepared and may not be brewed.
- Arabic coffee is served to boil hot in a very small amount in tiny decorated cups whereas no such specific serving method adopted in the case of Colombian coffee.
- Dates, dried fruits and candied nuts are traditionally served along with Arabic coffee but the idea of complimentary snacks lies at the discretion of the consumer in case of Colombian coffee.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814609007031
- https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0006-87052010000100030&script=sci_arttext
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
