The coffee tree is a tropical evergreen shrub that will produce between its fifth and fifteen year, one to two pounds of green coffee a year.  Green coffee is the term given to coffee in its raw state.  Coffee is grown in nursery beds that are carefully watered and kept partially shaded from sunlight.  The green coffee comes from a bright red cherry produced by the shrub.  Each cherry contains two seeds (or beans) surrounded by a sweet pulp.  Not all cherries contain two seeds such as the peaberry which contains one seed or bean. 

  

Only two types of species of coffee are commercially imported: Arabica and Robusta.  All specialty coffees are Arabica. These coffees are grown best at 2,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level and require a great amount of care in cultivation.  The beans mature slowly, are denser and develop more concentrated flavor oils than lower grown coffees.  Robusta is of the less expensive commercial coffees.  It grows at altitudes from sea level to 2,000 feet.  Robusta grows wild and is more "robust" which can withstand harsher temperatures and conditions.  Robusta coffees have twice the caffeine content that of Arabica coffees.  Harvest months in most countries are October to March.  All coffee trees are picked by hand, berry by berry. 

  

Coffee beans chemically change through the roasting process by controlled heat and time.  This process darkens (or caramelizes) the bean as it is heated.  Roasting releases what appears to be oils in the bean but they are actually sugars that are driven out by gases.  Therefore, the darker the roast, the more oils appear.  The caramelizing of the bean is the browning of the sugars.