Arabica SHB coffee

Why You Should Choose Arabica SHB Coffee

There are many different types of coffee on the market and it can be a daunting task to choose the best one. The right coffee for you will generally be different to the right coffee for someone else. This is due to the different tastes that each type of coffee offers. However, there are some coffee choices that you need to try at least once and Arabica SHB coffee is one of them.

Understanding Arabica SHB Coffee

When you look at any type of coffee, you need to understand it and Arabica SHB coffee is no different. It is important that you understand why you should look at Arabica coffee instead of Robusta coffee. You also need to understand what SHB means and how it can affect the taste of the coffee you get. It is not only the taste that is affected by the type of bean you have, but the price as well.

Choose Arabica Coffee Beans

There are 2 types of coffee beans that you can get and they are Arabica and Robusta. These beans will have different tastes, growing conditions and prices. Arabica is generally considered to be the better of the two and is the rarer coffee bean.

Arabica beans will have a softer and sweeter taste when compared to Robusta beans which are harsher. The tones of Arabica coffee will generally be fruity and sugary. The acidity of these beans is higher which provide a wine-like taste which characterizes this coffee. Robusta beans have a stronger taste and will also provide you with more caffeine.

Robusta beans are more common than Arabica because they are easier to grow. It is possible to grow these beans in lower altitudes, until Arabica beans which need higher altitudes. Robusta beans are also less vulnerable to the weather and pests. Arabica beans also grow slower than Robusta beans which is important because slow growth is seen as better for coffee.

Robusta beans are only grown in the Eastern Hemisphere while Arabica beans can be grown in both hemispheres. However, the majority of Arabica beans come from South America with Colombia only producing these beans.

What SHB Means

When looking at these beans, you might wonder what SHB means. This stands for Strictly Hard Beans and is part of the Costa Rican coffee grading system. This grading system is based on the altitude the beans are grown which means that Arabica beans are generally on the higher tiers of the scale. SHB will include beans that are grown at elevations of 3,900 feet and higher.

These beans are considered the best in the grading system because of how slowly the coffee cherry matures. The cherries will mature slower at higher latitudes and this produces a better coffee bean. It is important to get this grade of coffee bean if you want the acidity and flavor associated with these harder beans. It is important to note that harder beans will be more expensive because they are considered to be better quality.