Coffee Bean Classification Standards and Flavor Characteristics: Differences Between Typica Coffee Beans and Arabica Coffee Beans

There are more and more coffee beans on the market today, which can be dazzling. There are over 500 known coffee tree species, let alone the varieties, and with coffee mutants, there are at least 6,000 types. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce you to some common coffee varieties.

The Three Major Coffee Varieties

Most of the coffee we drink today belongs to one of the three major coffee varieties: Arabica. Robusta coffee is often used for commercial coffee, such as making instant coffee. Liberica coffee is rarely seen on the market.

Common Arabica Coffee Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee will first introduce some common coffee varieties within the Arabica species. When discussing coffee, we generally start from the source. As far as we know, Typica is one of the oldest varieties among known coffee varieties. Typica originally grew in regions like Martinique Island. Typica coffee beans will have a hint of sweetness. However, not all Typica coffee has the same flavor.

These coffee varieties are like a large family, all carrying some genetic relationship. For example, Typica planted in Indonesia has undergone genetic mutation to form the most local characteristic Mandheling coffee. Among the five Mandheling varieties on FrontStreet Coffee (Lintong Mandheling, Golden Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, Aged Mandheling, and Natural Mandheling), the most famous is undoubtedly PWN's Golden Mandheling, which has been rated as the coffee with the best texture in the world. FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling has rich flavor, sweet aroma, full-bodied taste, with a slight sweetness and micro-acidity, complex yet distinct layers.

The Bourbon Family

Another coffee variety, like Typica coffee beans, belongs to one of the oldest existing coffee varieties - the Bourbon variety. Bourbon variety has a certain relationship with Typica; in other words, Bourbon is a genetic variant mutated from Typica. What we usually call Bourbon generally refers to Red Bourbon. Among the beans on FrontStreet Coffee, there is a Brazilian Red Cherry coffee variety that belongs to Red Bourbon. This Brazilian Red Cherry has rich nutty and chocolate flavors when drunk, and smells of peanuts and cream with a sweet feeling.

Many of Brazil's coffee tree species are Bourbon varieties. Previously, a Yellow Bourbon variety was discovered, which is now mainly grown in Brazil. FrontStreet Coffee understands that this Yellow Bourbon is of quite good quality and can grow in high-altitude environments. The Yellow Bourbon flavor produced through natural processing carries the nutty flavor inherent to Bourbon, balanced acidity, and a slight bitterness. For example, the Brazilian Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon coffee on FrontStreet Coffee perfectly interprets the flavor of Yellow Bourbon coffee.

Pink Bourbon and Regional Varieties

Perhaps by chance, Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon were combined to hybridize and cultivate a new variety. Because its coffee fruit presents a romantic pink color, everyone calls it Pink Bourbon. This rare Pink Bourbon variety was first planted in the Huila region. At first, it was mixed with other Bourbon and Caturra varieties, and later was separately picked and processed. Among the many coffee types on FrontStreet Coffee, the Pink Bourbon variety coffee comes from the Huila region of Colombia - Isabella coffee. It has berry and cherry tomato fruit aromas when entered, with honey sweetness after cooling, and a smooth, clean taste.

Hybrid Varieties

As we move forward in time, in the El Salvador region, a natural hybrid of Bourbon was discovered, called the Pacas variety, which was then transplanted to Honduras. The Pacas variety coffee flavor carries bright floral characteristics and a full-bodied taste.

Take FrontStreet Coffee's Honduras Sherry coffee beans as an example. This coffee is considered a very classic Honduran coffee. Its coffee variety is not only Pacas variety but also includes some Caturra and Catuai varieties. These three coffee varieties have made this Sherry coffee very popular among everyone. Coupled with its unique whiskey sherry barrel fermentation, besides vanilla cream, nutty, and cocoa flavors, it also carries whiskey aroma.

Catimor and Regional Development

Since we're talking about Honduran coffee varieties, FrontStreet Coffee will also tell you about Catimor. Catimor is a hybrid variant of Caturra and Timor, which we just discussed in FrontStreet Coffee's Honduras Sherry, and belongs to Arabica and Robusta hybrid. Therefore, the Catimor variety has both the quality aroma of Arabica varieties and the stronger adaptability, disease resistance, and high yield capabilities of Robusta.

For example, Yunnan coffee, which has gained super high popularity in recent years, has Catimor as its main variety. The quality of Yunnan's Catimor coffee is mellow and fragrant, rich but not bitter, with a slight fruit aroma. Different processing methods for this type of coffee bean will produce different coffee flavors. If it uses red cherry natural processing like the Natural Catimor on FrontStreet Coffee, it will have nutty, chocolate, and spice flavors. If washed processing is used, the brown sugar sweetness might be more prominent, similar to the flavor of FrontStreet Coffee's daily supply bean Yunnan Xiaoli coffee.

Conclusion

If we were to talk about coffee varieties, even three days and three nights wouldn't be enough. If you want to learn more coffee knowledge, welcome to follow FrontStreet Coffee's official account. We will share coffee-related knowledge in the official account every day.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add our private WeChat FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473