Types of Coffee Beans

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

The AA grade is given to coffee beans that meet the criteria above, except that they can't have more than 3 defects (quakers). These are usually Kenya AA beans.

Arabica

Arabica coffee beans are also known as Coffea Arabicica and are the most well-known coffee bean in the world. According to legend, coffee was discovered by a goatherder in Ethiopia after he noticed that his herd was more full of energy when they ate the fruit of the plant. This led him experiment with roasting the seeds before brewing them, which resulted in the beverage that we drink today.

There are a variety of coffee plants, however only two are used to make our favorite brews - robusta and arabica. The former is generally thought to be superior to the other, and this is evident in the flavor of the final beverage.

There are a number of different cultivars of arabica, with each possessing its own distinctive flavor profile. Typica and Bourbon are two of the most popular arabica cultivars. All other arabica cultivars were derived from these two varieties either through natural mutations, or through deliberate crossbreeding. The SL28 cultivar, for instance was developed in Kenya by Scott Labs and is known for its distinct chocolatey flavor.

The flavor of an arabica variety is based on the conditions in the conditions it was cultivated, and also the way it was handled and cooked. For instance, the kind of shade a tree gets in its altitude, its elevation and soil composition can all play a significant influence on the final outcome.

Robusta

Robusta coffee beans (Coffea canephora) are the second most sought-after variety of coffee beans. These beans are used in the majority of instant coffees, and they contain twice as much caffeine than Arabica Coffee Beans. They are also used in numerous espresso blends, notably for cappuccino and caffe latte.

Coffea Canephora is a plant that originated from Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been cultivated throughout the world since. It is able to grow at lower altitudes and can withstand higher temperatures than the Arabica coffee plant, making it a better crop for farmers. Vietnam is currently the largest producer of robusta coffee followed by Brazil and Indonesia.

While the robusta coffee plant has its benefits however, it's not as adored by cupping aficionados for its bitter taste and burnt rubber notes. It is often considered a poorer quality coffee, and a majority of the major coffee companies utilize arabica beans to make their top-good quality coffee beans products.

However, the demand for gourmet coffee is growing, and smaller roasters are exploring high-end robusta varieties in order 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 quality and flavor. These coffees are obtained from Uganda where robusta was grown for centuries. Find out more about them.

Liberica

Liberica Cafe Coffee Beans beans are rare varieties that are not often used in the world. They are less than 2 percent of the world's consumption of coffee beans and are often overlooked because they do not contain the same amount of caffeine. However, these beans have a unique flavor that many coffee lovers find appealing.

Despite being extremely rare, Liberica coffee beans are still popular in a few regions of Asia. They are especially common in Malaysia and Indonesia with large Muslim population. 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.

The history of Liberica coffee began in the 1890s, when an outbreak of coffee leaf rust destroyed most of the world's arabica crop. This caused coffee producers to find a more resilient species that could thrive in tropical climates. They soon discovered the Liberica plant.

Liberica plants have a high tolerance for diseases and pests, which made them a perfect replacement for the devastated arabica crop. Liberica can also be grown in lower elevations and higher temperatures which allows it to thrive in Southeast Asia's climate. Liberica beans are the main ingredient in the production of the coffee in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Excelsa

Although it's rare for coffee lovers to see excelsa coffee beans in their cups, these rarer beans are gaining a reputation for their unique flavor. According to Komal Sable of South India Coffee Co. who is a fifth generation coffee farmer the beans are similar to the teardrop shape, but are smaller. But despite the family resemblance it is important to remember that excelsa is technically not a distinct species.

It's not clear how to classify excelsa beans. This confusion is to blame for the low their presence in the contemporary coffee world. Because of this, many roasters, growers, and brewers don't know how to cultivate or utilize these beans properly.

It is ultimately up to each person to decide if they like the taste of excelsa and it can take a while to find the perfect blend. It's important to be open-minded and try every kind of coffee until you've found the one that you like. If you do this, you'll be able to explore the entire variety of possibilities these unique beans can provide. This is a trip worth the effort.