FUN FACTS ABOUT COFFEE YOU DIDN'T KNOW

FUN FACTS ABOUT COFFEE YOU DIDN'T KNOW - Common Room Roasters

Coffee is, at its core, an agricultural product. It’s a cherry grown on steep mountainsides in some of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Technically, the coffee “bean” is a seed—usually two per fruit—that must be carefully cultivated, harvested, and processed to become something worth roasting. These cherries thrive within the “Coffee Belt,” an equatorial band where climate, soil, and elevation collide to create nuance. And that nuance is everything. From the high altitudes of Ethiopia and Colombia to the volcanic slopes of Guatemala, the terroir shapes the flavor. Arabica—considered the gold standard in specialty coffee—offers delicate florals, stone fruit, and layered sweetness, while its cousin Robusta brings strength and bitterness. 

Processing—how the fruit is removed from the seed—plays a dramatic role in flavor. Washed coffees tend to be bright and clean; naturals are fruit-forward and syrupy; and more experimental methods, like anaerobic fermentation or yeast-inoculation, create wildly complex, aromatic profiles. Roasting is equal parts science and art—adjusting heat, airflow, and time to coax out the best expression of each origin. Even brewing has its own dimension: espresso is fast, pressurized intensity; pour-over is slow, deliberate clarity; and cold brew is a 24-hour extraction that drinks like silk. Done well, each method tells a different story from the same bean.

The deeper you go, the more you realize coffee is less a drink and more a lens—a way of experiencing craft, culture, and care in real time. At Common Room Roasters, we believe in making this world accessible. We create Signature Blends that are dialed and dependable, and source Premium and Reserve Single Origins that speak for themselves. Because coffee is never just coffee. It’s a moment, a memory, a connection.