Java coffee? it sounds a bit redundant, doesn't it? Many people call coffee java, just like they may say they want a cup of joe. In reality, Java coffee refers to coffee grown on the island of Java, the largest island in Indonesia. Java coffee was so popular and was exported around the world, that many Americans just used the term ?java? as slang to mean coffee in general. And there is good reason for that.

The history of Java coffee is a long one. The Dutch brought coffee to Java in the 17th century, and it has been a major export for Indonesia ever since. They planted Arabica beans, but a coffee rust plague wiped many of the coffee plants out in the 1800s. The Dutch replaced them with Liberica beans, which while hardier, did not please the palate as much. Most of the beans grown in Java today are of the Robusta and Arabica variety.

Java coffee has a distinctive flavor that true coffee aficionados revere? it is known to be strong, spicy and sweet. The specific growing conditions on the island of Java create the flavor of the coffee beans grown there, and while they share similarities with coffee grown in other places, they have differences too. Coffee flourishes at an altitude between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in Java, with the majority of it being grown on a plateau around 4,500 feet. The coffee plants really thrive in the volcanic soil, which is rich in nutrients, and provides good drainage to the roots.

Even the area in Java influences the coffee? the most sought after Java coffee comes from the far eastern side of the island, near the Ijen volcano complex. There are four main coffee farms in this area, all started originally by the Dutch hundreds of years ago. These farms are now run by the Indonesian government, and they grow 85% of the coffee on Java.

Java coffee is wet processed, with the beans being pulped immediately after harvest, then washed. The beans are dried and rested for many weeks before being sorted and sent to the roasters. In fact, one variety of coffee, known as Old Java or Old Brown, is aged for two to three years. Java coffee beans are often added with others from different areas of the world to create unique blends. Java coffee beans produce a rich coffee with chocolate undertones, and when paired with Mocha, creates the ever-popular Mocha-Java blend.

Coffee has become part of Java's culture as well as a primary agricultural product. Visitors are handed a cup of coffee in homes before they even ask for one. It is part of the fabric of everyday life in Java. So, if you have a cup of Java coffee, you may be inclined to spare a thought to the long history and culture that lies behind those beans that lent their flavor to that dark liquid you are enjoying. Java coffee is one of the world's most famous brews, and will continue to be for a long time.