Types of Coffee Beans

Coffee, the world's favorite drink, owes its unique and irreplaceable taste to its most essential raw material, the coffee bean. The two main types of coffee beans are Arabica and Robusta, but there are several other variations. Each variety is endowed with different flavors, aromas, and spiciness levels, adding to the complex profile of the drink.

1. Coffea arabica

Coffea arabica is the most consumed coffee variety in the world, accounting for approximately 60-70% of the world's coffee production. Native to the highlands of southwestern Ethiopia, Arabica beans are prized for their subtle, nuanced flavors that are often sweet, round, and bitter. It tends to exhibit sugar, fruit, and berry aromas, reminiscent of a mixture of fruit and flowers. Arabica coffee trees are gentle and require precise growing conditions, including high altitude (600-2000 meters), nutrient-rich soil, adequate shade and rain, and temperatures of 15-24 °C (60-70 °F). is

2. Robusta (Coffea canephora)

Robusta beans are the second most popular type of beans in the world, accounting for about 30-40% of the world's coffee production. As the name suggests, these beans are hardy and bulky and can withstand greater differences in climate and altitude than Arabica. They usually grow at lower elevations and can tolerate higher temperatures. Regarding taste, Robusta beans tend to be more bitter, less pungent, and have twice the caffeine content of Arabica beans. It has a strong, full-bodied earthy flavor, often accompanied by alternative notes of chocolate and nuts..

3. Liberica (Coffea liberica)

Native to Liberia in West Africa, the Liberica coffee bean is less popular. Liberica beans are larger than Arabica and Robusta beans and have a distinctive aroma that is often described as asymmetrical, floral, and fruity. Flavor profiles range from smoky woody to dark chocolate and are often full-bodied and moderately spicy.

4. Excelsa (Coffee Excelsa)

Excelsa coffee is naturally classified as a member of the Libericaceae family, but has enough different flavors to be considered a separate variety. Excelsa grows mainly in Southeast Asia on giant, hardy trees and contributes only a fraction of the world's coffee production. Despite its rarity, Excelsa is prized for its tart, fruity, and sometimes wine-like flavor that can add depth to coffee blends. Beyond these basic categories, common breeds or subspecies have been established within each type. Factors such as coffee-growing region, altitude, climate, and routine handling further influence the flavor profile of beans. Arabica, for example, includes well-known varieties such as Bourbon, Geisha, Typica, and SL28, each with its own unique flavors. Bourbon is sweet and complex, Typica is smooth and clean, Geisha is floral and tea-like, and Kenyan SL28 is bold and fruity. Ultimately, the choice of coffee bean type is often determined by personal preference. It doesn't matter if you like sweet and delicate things.