What is a White Coffee Bean?

Raw coffee beans are initially green when harvested. It is only through roasting
that they take on their familiar brown color. Lightly roasting the coffee beans
will give them a tan color not unlike the color of a peanut. These are deemed
"white" coffee beans, which are much harder than roasted beans and
carry a different taste.

The more a coffee bean is roasted, the more the bean burns off
caffeine. Thus, white coffee beans, being only slightly roasted, contain more
caffeine than the fully roasted bean, making it ideal for those who desire an
extra dose of caffeine in their coffee. Coffee brewed from white beans can also
appeal to non-coffee drinkers, as its nutty taste may prove more palatable than
the usual bitter brew.

Typically roasted coffee has a dark, bitter taste that only takes on flavors when additives are employed in the process. With a
white coffee bean, however, the light roasting method causes it to have a nutty
taste when brewed, which is remarkably different from the taste of an average
cup of coffee. This taste is enhanced when the coffee is prepared with
additional ingredients to create a gourmet drink further distinguishing it from
its fully roasted cousins.