Two Species of Coffee
There are two species of coffee which are commercially important. They are Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is grown at low altitudes. It is a very good producer and very resistant to coffee tree diseases. Unfortunately for coffee producers, it lacks taste quality. It is still widely used as a blender where low cost is of primary importance and taste is not. Arabica is a milder more flavorful type, grown higher and more slowly. It is not as productive, yielding far fewer cherries per tree, which makes it more expensive. It is the only choice for people interested in high quality flavor.

Arabica

• Arabica species are primarily grown at altitudes of 2,000 to 6,500 feet above sea level.
  
• Volcanic ash provides nutrients essential for the healthy growth of the coffee tree.
  
• The finest cherries are selected for Seedling Propagation.
  
  
• Nursery care can last anywhere from 6 to 18 months.
  
• Arabica trees yield only 1 ½ to 2 pounds of green coffee per year.
       
  
• Quality coffee must be picked by hand.
  
• It takes approximately 4,000 hand picked coffee cherries to make a pound of roasted coffee.
  
  
• They are then hand sorted, insuring only the highest quality coffee cherries are processed.
• After picking, the cherries are carried to the Wet Mill for processing.
  
• A good picker can pick about 200 pounds of coffee cherries in one day. This equals about 40 pounds of roasted coffee.
• After picking, the cherries must be processed within 12 hours at the Wet Mill.
  
  
• The de-pulping machine removes the outside fruit pulp, exposing a sticky substance which surrounds the parchment.
• The berries are then placed in large concrete tanks to ferment, usually 12 to 36 hours, to facilitate removal of this sticky substance.
• They are then poured into concrete sluiceways to be thoroughly washed in constantly changing water.
• After washing, the beans are drained and spread on concrete patios to dry.
  
  
• The hulling machine is the first step of dry mill operation. The parchment is removed exposing the beautiful coffee bean.
• Hulled coffee then goes to the Oliver table for sorting by bean size and density. Growing altitude, preparation and taste complete the criteria for grading.
• The green coffee bean releases its heady aroma and depths of flavors only after it has been roasted. The key to excellent coffee is the roasting process.

Roasting
Roasting coffee is every bit as important to the flavor as processing and blending. Controlling the critical chemical changes which take place during the roasting process is the job of the Roaster.

Time and temperature are the most critical components when roasting coffee. The Roaster must know exactly when to apply just the right amount of heat and exactly how long to roast to ensure consistency and maximum development.

Since all coffees arrive with different moisture contents and densities, the Roaster has his work cut out for him. There is no substitute for experience when it comes to roasting coffee.

Grinding
Roasted coffee must be ground before it can be used to brew the perfect cup. Grinding is done at Baronet using precision grinders which ensure that the grind is the right size and also that the grind is uniform. Both of these are critical factors because only the proper grind will produce a good cup of coffee. Too coarse and the coffee will be weak. Too fine and the coffee will be bitter. Coffee which is not uniform will be too coarse and too fine at the same time producing a weak and bitter cup.

Packaging
Coffee is packaged in one of two ways at Baronet. Coffee beans are packaged right after roasting in 5 pound bags equipped with one-way valves. These valves are important for allowing natural gasses given off by the beans to escape as the coffee beans "gas off" after roasting. These bags are filled with fresh roasted coffee beans and flushed with Nitrogen to drive out any oxygen which would stale the beans. The beans will retain maximum freshness until they are opened and ground at the customer's location. The other way coffee is packages is pre-ground in "pillow packs'. The coffee is carefully ground, gassed off, flushed with Nitrogen, and packed in measured packages. Each package contains enough coffee to make exactly one pot of full strength coffee.