Have you ever tried different coffees and noticed that some have a flavor that is spicier than others while some have a sweeter taste? Far too often we credit the flavor of our favorite coffees to the additives or blends when in truth the flavor is a byproduct of the region in which the particular bean is grown.

Coffee is typically grown in tropical regions that receive a fair amount of sunshine and rainfall year round. This doesn't mean that it can't be grown elsewhere, only that other growing regions that have been tried have failed to provide the quality of flavor that most true coffee connoisseurs demand. Even in tropical regions there are many different regions where coffee is grown that each lend their own unique flavor to the beans found in these exotic locales.

Every growing region for Arabica coffee beans lends a little bit of a unique flavor to the beans that are produced in this region. This is why Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee or Kona coffee have very distinctive flavors. These flavors are not the result of the roasting process or even additives that may be introduced to the coffee but a direct result of the amount of sunlight the plant receives each day, the plants that are grown in or around the area of the coffee, and the many plants and fertilizers that have been introduced to the soil over the years.

Coffee made in India, because of all the spices grown in the region tend to have a spicy flavor with or without the spices that are often added during the roasting or blending process. You should also be aware that even on the same plantation the flavor of coffee can vary from plant to plant. There are so many factors that dictate the flavor coffee will hold that it is nearly impossible to anticipate each and every one. Some of these flavor factors can be as subtle as the amount of shade that is cast on one plant by a tree off in the distance.

It is truly one of nature's many miracles the impact that the region of growth holds over the flavor of your favorite morning brew. You might also make a mental note however, that the roasting method can overshadow the growing method in many coffees. If you are not extremely careful when roasting your beans you may actually overpower the natural subtlety of the bean you plan to brew.

While the growing region for coffee isn't the only indicator of the flavor of your coffee, it is certainly a significant indicator. Almost everyone I know who drinks coffee has one favorite coffee. That coffee is typically from one of the unique growing regions and has a certain undertone that is reminiscent of that region. Once you've found a coffee you truly love and identified the region from which it comes, I urge you to try coffees from other regions in the general area in order to fully understand the subtleties of the flavor.