Types of Coffee Beans

Behind every cup of coffee that we enjoy, are carefully graded beans. They are graded based on size, color and shape.

The AA grade is assigned to unroasted coffee beans beans that meet all the above criteria except they cannot have more than three defective qualities (quakers). Most often, these are Kenya AA beans.

Arabica

Arabica coffee beans are also referred to as Coffea Arabicica and are the most sought-after bean in the entire world. According to legend, coffee was discovered by a goatherder in Ethiopia after he noticed that his animals had more energy when they ate the fruit of the plant. This led him experiment with roasting the seeds and brewing the coffee, resulting in the drink which we enjoy today.

While a myriad of coffee beans in bulk plants exist There are only two major species used as the basis for all our favourite drinks: arabica and robusta. The flavor of the final drink is usually better when you drink the earlier.

There are many different arabica cultivars. Each one has distinct flavor profiles. Two of the most well-known varieties are Typica and Bourbon from which the other arabica varieties were developed through natural mutation or through deliberate crossbreeding. Scott Labs developed the SL28 cultivar in Kenya, which is known for its distinctive chocolaty flavour.

The taste of an arabica variety is based on the conditions in the conditions it was cultivated, and also the way it was handled and roasted. The kind of shade trees receive can have a significant effect on the final product.

Robusta

Robusta coffee beans (Coffea canephora) are the second most well-known variety of coffee. These beans are used in the majority of instant coffees, and contain twice as much caffeine than Arabica Coffee Beans. They are also used to make many espresso blends – especially for cappuccino, caffe latte and various other beverages made from coffee.

Coffea Canephora is a plant that originated from Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been grown all over the world since. It can grow at lower elevations and can tolerate higher temperatures than the Arabica coffee plant, making it a much more practical crop for farmers. Vietnam is the world’s biggest producer of robusta followed by Brazil and Indonesia.

Although the robusta plant has its advantages but it’s not as loved by cupping aficionados for its bitter taste and smoky rubber notes. It is often considered an inferior coffee and many large coffee beans online producers utilize arabica beans to make their top-quality products.

However, the demand for gourmet coffee is increasing and small roasters are testing premium robusta varieties to profit from its superior qualities. Our Valhalla Java coffee and Death With Coffee coffee are two examples. Both are excellent robustas that are blended with arabica to achieve the perfect balance of strength and flavour. These coffees are procured from Uganda where robusta has been cultivated for hundreds of years. You can read more about them here.

Liberica

Liberica coffee beans are rare varieties that are seldom used around the globe. They comprise less than 2% of the worldwide coffee consumption. They are often overlooked since they don’t contain the same amount of caffeine that Arabica and Robusta do. These beans have a distinct flavor that a lot of luxury coffee beans drinkers find appealing.

Despite being extremely scarce, Liberica coffee beans are still fairly popular in parts of Asia. They are most popular in Malaysia and Indonesia where there is a large Muslim community. In these countries, the coffee industry has been strong for many years. The consumption of a cup of coffee after prayers is a part of their culture.

Liberica coffee’s history dates back to 1890s after a worldwide epidemic caused by coffee leaf rust caused a massive loss of the arabica crop. This event prompted coffee producers to look for a resilient plant that would thrive in tropical climates. They soon discovered Liberica.

Liberica plants have a high tolerance to pests and diseases, which made the perfect substitute for the devastation of the arabica crop. Liberica also has the capacity to thrive in hot temperatures and lower altitudes, which allowed it to thrive in the climate of Southeast Asia. Liberica beans are used to produce most of the coffee in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Excelsa

Although it’s not typical for coffee drinkers to see excelsa beans in their cups, these exclusive beans are beginning to gain an image due to their distinctive flavor. According to Komal Sable of South India Coffee Co. who is a fifth-generation coffee farmer, these beans have a teardrop-like shape, however they are smaller. It’s important to keep in mind that despite the family resemblance between excelsa and liberica, this species is not a separate one.

It’s not easy to classify excelsa beans. This confusion is to blame for the low presence of these beans in the contemporary coffee world. Many roasters, farmers, and brewers aren’t aware of how to properly cultivate and utilize these beans.

It is ultimately up to each individual to decide if they like the taste of excelsa. it may take some time to find the right blend. It’s important to be open-minded and try every kind of coffee until you find the one you love. If you do this you’ll have the chance to explore the entire range of possibilities that these unique beans have to provide. This is a journey worth taking.