Ethiopia was the birthplace of the natural, wild, arabica coffee bean--discovered around 500AD. Ethiopian coffees have a wild and winey character ranging from the floral, wineyness of the Harrars in eastern Ethiopia to the fragrant, spicy Yrgacheffes in the south. Harrar and Ghimbi are the most fragrant, while Yrgacheffe, Sidamo, and Limu are more wild. The heritage of Ethiopian coffees is unsurpassed.

The Arab traders brought coffee to their homeland at the end of the first millennium AD. There, the wild plant was cultivated for the first time. In 1600AD, the Dutch stole a coffee tree from the Arabian port of Mocha, Ethiopia, and carried it to the Indonesian island of Java. Thus began the Indonesian line of coffees.

Indonesian coffees are heavey-bodied and earthy with a mellow smoothness. The lush volcanic soils of Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Timor and Papua New Guinea yield a variety of complex coffees. At this point in history, coffee was available either from the port of Mocha or from Java--hence the famous blend of “Mocha-Java”. The most exotic, earthy example of Indonesian coffee comes from the island of Sulawesi, formerly Celebes. Many of our favorite dark roasts are Indonesian coffees, particularly our Golden Aged Sumatran--a perfect complement to any meal.

At the beginning of the 18th Century, Louis XIV of France was an avid coffee drinker. The Dutch owed him a favor and managed to procure him a coffee tree. He turned the tree over to his botanist who constructed the first greenhouse in Europe to house his tree. Billions of arabica trees sprouted from Louis XIV's tree. Seeds were sent to Surinam, north of Brazil in 1714. Thus began the American variety of coffees.

From Brazil to Mexico, tropical America offers a varied and excellent selection of coffees including mild, medium-bodies, bright and snappy varieties.

By 1900AD, coffee had made its way around the world and back to the African countries of Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Burundi. African coffees have a sharp character similar to the milder Ethiopian coffees and due to their shared African soil, moisture and climate. These coffees have an aromatic quality and a lively acidity.

Coffee Traders always carries arabica coffee from the four growing regions of Ethiopia, Indonesia, America and Africa.

All of our coffee is air-bed roasted, allowing the beans to cook evenly.

• LIGHT ROAST -- light, rich, clean coffee taste; the best way to experience the coffee regions
• VIENNA (Medium) ROAST -- just on the edge of darkness; the oils are apparent
• FRENCH (Dark) ROAST -- slightly burnt, European style: the sugars are carmelized
• ITALIAN ROAST -- burnt, disctinctly oily, and traditionally used for espresso; sugars carbonized

• WHOLE BEAN -- the best way to enjoy your coffee is to grind your own beans just before brewing
• FRENCH PRESS -- a coarse grind; if the plunger is too slow, the grind is too fine
• DRIP -- a medium grind; 15 seconds using a blade grinder
• ESPRESSO -- a fine grind; 30 seconds using a blade grinder