Coffee Varieties: Origins and Genetic Breeding - Complete Guide to Coffee Bean Types, Cultivation, Performance, and Flavor Characteristics

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

Coffee Origins and Genetic Breeding

"Coffee - is it just a beverage?!" Coffee truly is just a beverage... it's the people who drink it who are so complicated!

Coffee Varieties

Coffee belongs to the Rubiaceae family, genus Coffea, as evergreen shrubs. There are roughly 125 species under the Coffea genus, distributed across the subgenus Coffeae (25 in Africa and 55 in Madagascar, the Mascarenes, and the Comoros) and the subgenus Baracoffeae with 7 species. Only three have commercial value: Arabica (Coffea arabica), Robusta (Coffea canephora, also known as Coffea robusta), and Liberica (Coffea liberica). These three are called the "three major native coffee species."

Arabica accounts for about 70% of world production, with specialty coffee as the main demand; Robusta accounts for 27%, used mainly for instant and canned coffee, with twice the caffeine content of Arabica; Liberica, susceptible to leaf rust and poor in flavor, is traded only domestically in countries such as Suriname, Liberia, and Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa, and never caught on worldwide.

Java is a selection variety bred from the Gesha local variety Abysinia! Heirloom is a group of wild varieties! Heirloom Mocha is a Bourbon mutation!

Elephant Bean

Arabica Coffee

Sub-population Typica - Variety group Typica - Variety group Bourbon - Sub-population Gesha - Variety group Geisha - Sub-population Heirloom

Sub-species (group) Typica

Hybrid varieties: Sumatra, Bergendal, Rume Sudan, Amarello de Botocatu, Blawan Paumah - Mutant varieties: Criollo, Kent, Maragogipe, Pache Comun, Villalobos, Blue Mountain, San Ramon, Mokka, Arabigo, Sao Bernando, Pluma Hidalgo, Garundang, Chickumalgu, Creole, Villasarchi.

Variety (group) Bourbon

Hybrid varieties: N39, Maraguez, Arusha, Jackson, K20, K7, Kenya Selected (K.S), SL3 - Mutant varieties: Caturra, Pacas, Pointu, Semperflorens, SL34, Tekisic.

Sub-species (group) Typica hybrid varieties

Interspecific hybrid varieties: Kalimas, Kawisari, S795, S288 (x C. liberica); Aria, Bogor Prada, Devamachy, Icatu (Cartimor x Catuai) (x C. canephora); Sarchimor (Villa Sarchi x Catimor)

Sub-species (group) Typica hybrid varieties

Intraspecific hybrid varieties: Acaia, Mundo Novo (Sumatra x red Bourbon), Pache Colis (Pache Comun x Caturra), Catimor (Cauvery, ICAFE 95, Lempira, Oro Azteca, Colombia, IHCAFE 90) (Caturra x HdT), Catuai Amarillo, Garnica (Mundo Novo x Yellow Caturra), Maracatu (Maragogipe x Caturra), Ouro Verde (red Catuai x Acaia), Pacamara (Maragogipe x Pacas), Sarchimor IAPAR 95 (HdT x Villasarchi), Rasuna

Interspecific Hybrid Varieties from Arabica and Robusta Crosses

Timor is a natural interspecific hybrid between Arabica and Robusta, also called Tim Tim or Bor Bor coffee. With 44 chromosomes, it counts as an Arabica coffee. Discovered in the 1940s on Indonesia's Timor island, it resists leaf rust strongly - it is the most widely used rust-resistant germplasm, Hibrido de Timor (HdT). It is cold-hardy and high-yielding, with sturdy trees, strong trunks, and drooping branches that let nutrients disperse effectively. Timor coffee has a moderate to full-bodied flavor with vibrant yet subdued acidity; during harvesting and processing it occasionally develops mold and certain defects.

Catimor is a hybrid of Caturra and Timor, discovered in Portugal in 1959. The flavor is distinct and easy to pick out: bitter and acidic with slight astringency, often with a salty aftertaste. Within the Timor family it shows Robusta's influence - low acidity and high bitterness - giving off spicy herbal and fruit-peel aromas. It can be planted at high density and resists leaf rust strongly, making it high-yielding. Oro Azteca is a dwarf selection of it. In the past, Latin American countries planted Catimor extensively on agricultural experts' recommendations, but ten years on, that advice proved wrong: farmers couldn't sell their beans at suitable prices.

Oro Azteca Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, selected by Mexico's INIFAP using the pedigree method. Dwarf, green-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and medium cup quality. Planting density is similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare; nutrient requirements are high, resistance to leaf rust is low, and it is susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters.

Costa Rica 95 Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, bred by Costa Rica's ICAFE coffee research institute through pedigree selection. Dwarf, brown-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and poor cup quality. Planting density similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare; high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters in acidic soil.

T5175 Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, selected by Costa Rica's ICAFE using the pedigree method but never released for commercial production. Dwarf, dark brown-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and poor cup quality. Planting density similar to Caturra, 4000-5000 plants per hectare; extremely high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1000 meters.

IHCAFE 90 Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, bred by Honduras's IHCAFE coffee research institute through pedigree selection. Dwarf, dark brown-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and poor cup quality. Planting density similar to Caturra, 4000-5000 plants per hectare; extremely high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1000 meters in acidic soil. Very similar to T5175.

Lempira Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, bred by Honduras's IHCAFE through pedigree selection. Dwarf, brown-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and medium-to-low cup quality. Planting density similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare; high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1000 meters in acidic soil. Very similar to Costa Rica 95.

Catisic Catimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra, bred by El Salvador's PROMECAFE coffee research institute ISIC. Dwarf, brown-topped, high-yielding, with medium-to-small beans and poor cup quality. Planting density similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare; high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters in acidic soil. Highly similar to Costa Rica 95.

Colombia, also known as Variedad Colombia, has caramel and chocolate sweetness and a bright, rich aroma. A hybrid of Caturra and Timor, it resists leaf rust strongly and yields heavily, making it popular on small farms. It was developed in Colombia; unlike Catimor, it is a combination of many descendants, and Castillo is the best selection among them.

Marsellesa Sarchimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi CIFC 971/10, selected by Nicaragua's ECOM-CIRAD using the pedigree method. Dwarf, green-topped, with medium-to-small beans, quite high-yielding, high nutrient requirements, resistance to leaf rust and coffee berry borer, tolerance of coffee berry disease, susceptible to nematodes. Medium-to-high cup quality with high acidity. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters, at planting densities similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare. Marsellesa owes its resistance to leaf rust and berry borer to the Timor parent, and is produced in India as well as Costa Rica.

Obata Rojo Sarchimor is a hybrid of Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi CIFC 971/10, selected by Brazil's IAC using the pedigree method in 2000 and commercially released by Costa Rica's ICAFE in 2014. Dwarf, green-topped, with large beans, quite high-yielding, medium cup quality, high nutrient requirements, low resistance to leaf rust. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters.

Cuscatleco Sarchimor is a hybrid selection of T5296 (Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi), bred by El Salvador's PROMECAFE. Dwarf, at planting densities similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare, medium cup quality. Low resistance to leaf rust and nematodes; medium yield similar to Caturra. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters.

Parainema Sarchimor is a hybrid selection of T5296 (Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi), selected by Honduras's IHCAFE using the pedigree method. Dwarf, at planting densities similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare, large beans, medium cup quality. Low resistance to leaf rust and nematodes, medium tolerance of berry disease, medium yield similar to Caturra. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters.

IAPAR 59 Sarchimor is a hybrid selection of Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi, selected by Brazil's IAPAR research institute using the pedigree method. Dwarf, at planting densities similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare, brown-topped, medium-to-low cup quality. Low resistance to leaf rust and nematodes, susceptible to berry disease (CBD), medium yield similar to Caturra, high nutrient requirements. Suitable for cultivation at 800-1200 meters.

T5296 Sarchimor is a hybrid selection of Timor Hybrid 832/2 x Villa Sarchi, selected by PROMECAFE using the pedigree method but not released due to unstable offspring. Green-topped, dwarf, at planting densities similar to Caturra, 5000-6000 plants per hectare, large beans, medium cup quality. Low resistance to leaf rust, medium tolerance of berry disease (CBD), medium yield similar to Caturra, high nutrient requirements. Suitable for cultivation at 600-1200 meters.

Centroamerica H1 is a hybrid of Sarchimor T5296 x wild Rume Sudan: dwarf, green-topped, at planting densities similar to Bourbon, 3000-4000 plants per hectare, medium-to-large beans, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to nematodes, tolerant of coffee berry disease, extremely high yield. Medium-to-high cup quality with high acidity; extremely high nutrient requirements. Suitable for cultivation at 800-1500 meters.

Milenio H10 is a hybrid of Sarchimor T5296 x wild Rume Sudan: dwarf, green-topped, at planting densities of 4000-5000 plants per hectare, medium-to-large beans, low resistance to leaf rust, susceptible to nematodes, tolerant of coffee berry disease, extremely high yield. Excellent cup quality with high acidity. Suitable for cultivation at 800-1500 meters.

Mundo Maya EC16 is a hybrid of Sarchimor T5296 x the Ethiopian wild variety ET01, selected from F1 by Nicaragua's ECOM-CIRAD: dwarf, brown-topped, at planting densities of 4000-5000 plants per hectare, medium-to-large beans, excellent cup quality. Low resistance to leaf rust and nematodes, tolerant of coffee berry disease, high yield, high nutrient requirements. Suitable for cultivation at 800-1500 meters.

Nayarita EC19 is a hybrid of Naryelis x the Ethiopian wild variety ET26, selected from F1 by Nicaragua's ECOM-CATIE. Naryelis is a descendant of the Timor Hybrid: dwarf, green-topped, at planting densities of 3000-4000 plants per hectare, medium-to-large beans, excellent cup quality. Susceptible to leaf rust and nematodes, with considerable tolerance of coffee berry disease, high yield, high nutrient requirements. Suitable for cultivation above 1200 meters.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Typica is the variety closest to the native species, originating in Kaffa, Ethiopia, and Yemen. An ancestor of all varieties, Typica has been planted, hybridized, and refined for hundreds of years. Its overall cup quality is excellent, showing superb purity and body with lemon acidity and a sweet aftertaste. Brown-topped, with large, slightly elongated beans like stretched eggs, it is called Arabigo or Criollo in Central America. Its low resistance to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes makes it hard to care for; fruit set is low, and the long harvest period (a crop every 2 years) keeps yields low. Planting density is similar to Bourbon, 3000-4000 plants per hectare.

Typica trees stand 3-4 meters tall with a conical shape, trunk and branches meeting at roughly 50-70 degrees. The leaves are narrow and bronze-colored; the berries are more elliptical than other varieties'. Typica has genetically evolved into many variant strains better adapted to their surroundings, producing new traits that are often counted as new varieties - Mexican Typica and Hawaiian Typica differ slightly and so carry different names: Criollo (South America), Arabigo (the Americas), Kona (Hawaii), Pluma Hidalgo (Mexico), Garundang (Sumatra), Blue Mountain (Jamaica, Papua New Guinea), Sao Bernado and San Ramon (Brazil), Kent and Chickumalgu (India).

Typica: clean and sweet.

Interspecific Hybrid Varieties from Arabica and Liberica Crosses

S795, locally known as Jember, was bred in India in the 1940s by crossing Kent (a Typica selection: tall, high-yielding, extremely resistant to leaf rust) with Liberica coffee (Coffea liberica). It was named Jember in 1955 by Indonesia's Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI) and is widely planted in India, Indonesia, Yemen, and Ethiopia. It has some resistance to coffee leaf rust, though the resistance fades over time. The flavor carries notes of maple syrup or brown sugar.

Varieties Derived from Arabica

Villalobos, a branch of the Typica family, has elegant floral notes - sometimes even citrusy. This variety was brought to Indonesia by Dutch merchants in the late 17th century. We prize its subtle, exquisite acidity; Lobos estate beans in particular carry strong aromas of stone fruits like apricot, peach, and plum.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Bourbon is a variety mutated from Typica, and like Typica it stands closest to the native species. Bourbon spread from southwestern Ethiopia to Yemen, and in 1715 and 1718 it was carried from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now Reunion). Bourbon produces 20-30% more fruit than Typica.

Some coffee experts dismiss Bourbon as nothing more than a natural variant of Typica, nothing special! But that isn't the case. Bourbon has its own character: the same high-quality mouthfeel as Typica, with wine-like acidity and a sweet, complex aftertaste of such refinement - it is the Pinot Noir of coffee. The plants are fragile and don't fruit as heavily as other varieties, but they're worth the effort. The cup quality of Bourbon-type varieties is rich and classic - the coffee among coffees - and its charm has won unanimous praise from strict critics and beginners alike. Typica and Bourbon can be told apart by the tree's leaves and the beans' appearance. Today, Latin American coffee is largely developed from Typica and Bourbon: 97.55% of Brazil's coffee varieties descend from the two, and Latin American breeding has used Bourbon's narrow genetic base to create new varieties with all kinds of traits that perform well in both yield and quality.

Bourbon trees are vigorous, planted at 3000-4000 plants per hectare, with green young leaves; the slightly serrated green leaves are relatively wide, and the beans are smaller and more densely produced, so they look smaller and rounder than Typica. The fruit comes in red, yellow, and orange depending on variety and soil, with red most common. Although Bourbon out-yields Typica, the harvest period is still 2 years, making it a low-yield variety; it is extremely susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes. To produce beans of uniquely superior flavor, it's best grown at 1000-2200 meters.

Bourbon: complex acidity, caramel sweetness, balanced. Yellow Bourbon, Round Bourbon, Pointed Bourbon (Pointu).

Yellow Bourbon

Tekisic is a green-topped tall Bourbon selection from El Salvador's Coffee Research Institute ISIC. Small fruit, medium-to-low yield, medium-to-small beans, with a very good, distinctive flavor: layered acidity and an obviously thick mouthfeel. The coffee is strongly sweet, tending toward caramel and brown sugar. Planting density is 3000-4000 plants per hectare, nutrient requirements are medium, and it suits cultivation above 1300 meters. It is extremely susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes.

Villa Sarchi is this Bourbon dwarf mutation, with elegant acidity, strong fruit tones, and excellent sweetness. Grown in the town of Sarchi, Costa Rica, it is susceptible to most coffee diseases and pests.

Villa Sarchi - a Bourbon variant. This green-topped dwarf natural mutation of Bourbon was discovered in Costa Rica in the 1950s-60s. Like Caturra and Pacas, it results from a single-gene mutation that dwarfs the plant. Medium cup quality, small beans, medium yield similar to Caturra, high nutrient requirements. Susceptible to coffee leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation above 1300 meters.

Venecia is a green-topped dwarf natural mutation of Bourbon. Medium cup quality, large beans, medium yield similar to Caturra, high nutrient requirements. Susceptible to coffee leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes. Suitable for cultivation above 800 meters.

"SL28" and "SL34" are Bourbon hybrid derivatives. Kenya's Scott Laboratory crossed Bourbon offspring with heirloom material to produce SL28 and SL34, whose parentage is unknown; both offer excellent flavor with blackcurrant acidity. 90% of Kenya's coffee is SL28 and SL34. SL28 is extremely drought-resistant but susceptible to CBD, CLR, or BBC diseases. It failed in its mission to create high yield but succeeded brilliantly at creating delicious beans with strong citrus, sweetness, balance, and complex aromas. SL34's hallmark is its complex lemon acidity, thick mouthfeel, purity, and sweetness; it performs well at medium-to-high altitudes. SL34 is extremely drought-resistant and more disease-resistant than SL28.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Caturra is a single-gene natural dwarf mutation of red Bourbon, green-topped, planted at 5000-6000 plants per hectare, needing no shade, with medium-to-small beans and a higher yield than Bourbon. It was first discovered in Brazil in 1937, with commercial planting beginning that same year in Minas Gerais. It performs best in Central America - Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Altitudes of 1500-1700 meters produce the best quality and quantity. Caturra's hallmark is bright acidity with low-to-medium body. It has less clarity and sweetness than its parent Bourbon, medium-to-high cup quality, and a lemon or citrus acidity in the mouthfeel; it isn't as sweet as Typica or Bourbon, because Caturra's sweetness depends on how often and how much growers fertilize. It has high yield capacity, but maintaining yield demands continuous fertilization and pruning; the trees are dwarf, with many branches and a compact shape, and the slightly serrated green leaves are relatively wide. Although yield capacity rose, the 2-year harvest cycle, high care costs, and extreme susceptibility to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes still limit actual output.

Interspecific Hybrid Varieties from Caturra Crosses

Casiopea is a hybrid of Caturra and the Ethiopian wild variety ET41. Dwarf, green-topped, with medium-to-large beans and extremely superior cup quality. Altitudes of 1200 meters produce the best quality and quantity. High yield, but susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes, with high nutrient requirements.

H3 is a hybrid of Caturra and the Ethiopian wild variety E531. Dwarf, green-topped, with large beans and medium-to-high cup quality, suitable for cultivation above 1200 meters. High yield, but susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes, with high nutrient requirements.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Java originates in the coffee forests of Ethiopia and was brought to Indonesia for selection, hence the name Java. It was later sent to Cameroon for further selection of plant vigor and tolerance of berry disease. Molecular-marker fingerprinting indicates Java is a selection from the Ethiopian local variety Abysinia. It was introduced to Costa Rica's CIRAD by breeder Benoit Bertrand in 1991, and in 2016 Panama became the first Central American country to officially recognize Java. It represents an interesting alternative to Geisha: good cup quality, suitable for small farmers, with better tolerance of coffee leaf rust and berry disease.

The Arabica variety Java: tall tree, brown-topped, medium-to-high cup quality, medium-to-low yield, 4000-5000 plants per hectare, medium tolerance of leaf rust and berry disease, susceptible to nematodes, suitable for cultivation above 1200 meters, low nutrient requirements, large beans.

Varieties Derived from Arabica

Mundo Novo is a natural hybrid of Sumatra (Typica) and red Bourbon, native to Brazil and now spread worldwide. The trees grow over 3 meters tall, making harvesting difficult. The mouthfeel lacks sweetness and bitterness appears in the aftertaste. Its advantages are resistance to most diseases, a late harvest that's convenient for process adjustments, and high yield capacity - a genuinely high-yield variety. Its suitable growing altitude is 1000-1200 meters.

Varieties Derived from Arabica

Catuai was bred in 1949 by crossing Mundo Novo (Typica x Bourbon) CP 374-19 with yellow Caturra (a Bourbon mutation) C476-11, and released in 1972 after pedigree selection (continuous single-plant generation selection) by Brazil's IAC. Green-topped, with red and yellow fruit and also a green variant, Ouro Verde; high acidity, and the yellow beans show an impurity-like petroleum note when cooled. It has many excellent selection lines in different countries. Catuai accounts for nearly half of the planting area in Honduras, where IHCAFE researchers actively seek improvements, including hybrid combinations between Catuai and Timor. Catuai is also important in Costa Rica, where yellow-fruit Catuai has been widely planted since its 1985 launch; it was introduced to Guatemala in 1970 and now makes up about 20% of national production. It is barely cultivated in other Central American countries.

Caturra's plants are dwarf while Mundo Novo's are tall; after hybridization the plant shape is small and compact, allowing dense planting and easy harvesting. "Catuai" derives from the Guarani "multomom," meaning very good - good cup quality, but not too good. Yield and sweetness depend closely on fertilization technique. With higher planting density and proper fertilization it can achieve high yield; the trees are durable, withstand wind and rain, and the harvest cycle is short - only 1 year. But the drawbacks are extreme susceptibility to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes, and a short lifespan of only 10 years. Suitable for cultivation above 1300 meters.

Catuai: soft body, a throat feel like warm water, delicate aftertaste changes, orange fruit sweetness, tropical fruits, raspberries, maple sweetness, a juicy feel, a faint wine aroma, white bitter melon, baked biscuit aroma, caramel, vanilla - an elegant, detailed aftertaste and a long, multi-layered mouthfeel.

Varieties Evolved from Typica

Maragogype is a tall natural mutation of Typica, 3000-4000 plants per hectare. Discovered in Maragogipe, Bahia, Brazil, it is brown-topped with extremely large beans - hence "Elephant Bean." Low nutrient requirements and very low yield. Suitable for cultivation above 1300 meters. The mouthfeel is very mild with slight sweetness and acidity; it isn't easy to roast - a light roast is recommended, since dark roasting can't express its character.

Varieties Derived from Arabica

Maracaturra, also known as Maracatu, is a hybrid of Maragogype and Caturra. Native to Brazil, it is known for large leaves, large flowers, and large fruit; today it grows in Central America, mainly in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Mexico. Maracaturra gives bright, complex acidity and fruit aromas.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Pacas is a green-topped natural variation of Bourbon, discovered in El Salvador in 1949. Dwarf plants - classified among the dwarf varieties like Caturra - with medium-to-small beans, medium yield, medium nutrient requirements, and good quality at high altitude. Currently 68% of El Salvador's coffee belongs to Bourbon varieties, and Pacas accounts for 29% of the country's production; it is more wind-resistant than Bourbon with a flavor similar to Bourbon, and is susceptible to most coffee diseases and pests. Suitable for cultivation above 1300 meters.

Varieties Derived from Arabica

Pacamara is a large-fruited dwarf variety created by El Salvador's Coffee Research Center by crossing Pacas (male parent) with Maragogype. Leaf tips are green or bronze; it appeared in El Salvador in the 1950s with unique chocolate and citrus fruit aromas, extremely large beans, excellent cup quality, outstanding flavor, wonderful balance, and floral notes. Pacamara produces its highest cup quality at the highest possible altitude. However, because it is susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematodes, with medium yield similar to Caturra, it is produced mainly in El Salvador. The variety is not homogeneous: generation-to-generation variation is large, and 10-12% of offspring revert to Pacas.

Pacamara: citrus floral aroma. Orange-red variety, purple-red variety.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Geisha is a native sub-population group from Ethiopia with larger beans; a variety uniquely associated with Panama, it has shone in specialty coffee in recent years, earning the title "Queen of Specialty Coffee" within just a few years on the market. Production is currently low and prices high, with a record auction price of $350.25 USD in 2013. Coffee farmers say it was only discovered recently - but that isn't so. Geisha appeared in Panama as early as the 1960s, and many Panamanian breeding programs held Geisha seed. In fact, Geisha was found in Gesha, southwestern Ethiopia, in 1931 under many different local names. In 1931 and 1932 it was exported to Kenya under the names Abyssinian and Geisha respectively; in 1936 Kenya sent harvested Geisha seed to Uganda and Tanzania for planting. In July 1953, Tanzania sent offspring trees to Costa Rica while keeping the parent plants at home, and in 1960 Panama officially cultivated Geisha through CATIE (the Tropical Agricultural Center for Research and Education).

Geisha trees are slender and tall (up to 15 feet) with spreading branches and leaves, long green-and-red leaves, and late fruiting. Resistant to leaf rust but susceptible to berry disease and nematodes; medium-to-small fruit, medium-to-low yield. Panama Geisha T2722 is utterly unique - coffee from another dimension, like Sichuan pepper or the Sun Ra Arkestra: complex and otherworldly. The expense of Geisha, beyond the high altitude and limited yield, also stems from how hard it is to grow. Compared with other varieties, its leaf photosynthesis is very weak, the root system underdeveloped, and its ability to absorb water and nutrients weaker. A Geisha plant produces only half the beans of a Catuai - which may be why it produces its singular flavor. To highlight Geisha's character and aroma, roast to the verge of second crack, or to first crack's edge of second crack - common approaches that bring out the bean's own traits. Too light yields muddled flavors; too deep damages the florals and fruit acidity.

Geisha's dry aroma is uplifting and bright - rose and jasmine, with pomelo and citrus that can be coaxed out. A light roast shows nutty aromas; the wet aroma carries hazelnut and more floral character. In mouthfeel and flavor, the start can seem gentle and reserved next to that uplifting aroma, but as the cup cools the florals and fruit rise. The cool aroma is exceptionally outstanding (sweet dried fruit, rosehip, orange jam, strawberry jam, hints of pine, cherry, vanilla, rose - gradually fading into lemon-like fruit). This is a coffee that rewards endless adjectives, with a sweet aftertaste - and it tests the coffee's brightness, especially at light roast.

Geisha's offspring genetic diversity is uniform and stable. It is picky about narrow microclimates - growing only when it wants, where it wants, how it wants. But whether you plant it in Indonesia or the Americas, it remains thoroughly itself. Beans from high-altitude areas have lovely aromatics and a sweet, clean finish: jasmine, oolong tea, peach, and honey, with bright fruit acidity like tamarind and mango, the whole aromatic package and caramel sweetness wrapped together. On entry the fruit acidity is obvious at the tongue tip, gentle and round in the mouth, with strong sweetness and aftertaste, plus a bergamot finish. The lower the temperature, the more delicate the acidity, with lasting charm - characteristics that can rival Ethiopian washed coffees. But its flavor changes drastically across growing regions; to keep its character it must be planted on mountainsides at 1200 meters. Caffeine content is 30% less than most Arabica varieties.

Page 87

Geisha: sweet, citrus, fruit tones.

The Ethiopian Heirloom variety group can fairly be called the most distinctive and delicious coffee in the world. The beauty of these varieties lies in their mystery: they are wildflower varieties descended from the natural forest coffee of southwestern Ethiopia. Each village has its own variety, passed down over a hundred years and shaped by soil, altitude, and weather. The variety most similar to Typica originated in Yemen and eventually spread to Latin America; over 1000 Heirloom varieties are currently in production. Ethiopian Heirlooms produce some of the world's most coveted flavors, depending on processing: dry-processed coffee is usually medium-bodied with fruity, wine-like tones, while wet-processed coffee is light-bodied yet complex with floral and citrus tones.

Varieties Evolved from Arabica

Ethiopian Heirloom: Yirgacheffe

Yirgacheffe: delicate, tea-like aroma and pure citrus flavor.

Coffee Plant Genetics

Coffee plant genetics are quite complex. Except for Arabica coffee with 2n=4x=44 (heterotetraploid) chromosomes, most others have 2n=22. Robusta (Coffea canephora, 2n=2x=22) grows well and serves as material for genetic research. All the mutations above involve single factor pairs; other multi-factor mutations have not yet been discovered.

Chromosomes in early meiosis are heterochromatic, staining darker near the centromere and lighter elsewhere.

Except for Arabica coffee from the Ethiopian highlands - 90% of which is self-compatible - all other coffee varieties are self-incompatible. After several generations of self-pollination, Arabica's growth vigor and yield are unaffected.

Arabica coffee has more mutations, possibly because its ease of self-pollination makes recessive mutations more likely to appear.

Arabica chromosome mutations include: a. Hexaploid (2n=66) Bullata form - leaves thicker and wider than the tetraploid, fewer stomata, less fruit. b. Octoploid (2n=88) Bullata form - leaves smaller, thicker, and tougher than the hexaploid, even fewer stomata, even less fruit. c. Diploid (2n=22) Monosperma form - leaves thinner and narrower, more stomata, even less fruit, only one seed per fruit. d. Somatic chromosome variations.

Arabica factor mutations include: a. About one-third of known mutations are dominant, one-third incompletely dominant, one-third recessive. b. Recessive mutations also have good offspring: Typica to Bourbon, Bourbon to Laurina, Bourbon to Semperflorens. c. Dominant excellent mutations such as Maragogype and Caturra.

Arabica factor mutations include: d. Most mutations have pleiotropic effects across the whole plant - narrow-leaf, deformed type A, deformed type B, wrinkled-leaf, brown-leaf, short-branch small-leaf, purple-leaf, calyx, multiflower, large-sepal, dwarf, yellow-endosperm, erect, fasciculate, large-type, small-type, yellow-fruit mutations, Laurina coffee, normal-type coffee, and so on.

Arabica factor mutations include: e. All factors are quite stable; only the short-branch small-leaf mutation has intermediate types, though still quite distinct. f. Factor epistasis and interaction effects have been found. g. Mutation research is valuable; some mutations have been bred into commercial varieties. h. This research can trace the origin of cultivated varieties - for example, Bourbon comes from Typica.

Narrow-leaf mutation Angustifolia - long, narrow, lanceolate leaves; these varieties are the main parent source for breeding new excellent coffees. About 5% of C. arabica seedlings show narrow leaves. It is caused by two pairs of recessive factors, ag1 and ag2; the first-generation hybrid with normal plants is normal, the second generation is 9 normal : 7 narrow-leaf. It is now one of the official varieties of Arabica coffee.

Deformed mutation Anomala - the mutant's tree shape, leaf shape, flowers, and fruits are all deformed. Fruits often contain 3-4 seeds, each seed often with 2-3 embryos - false polyembryony. The factor is a pair of recessives, anan.

Deformed mutation Anomalis - even more extreme than Anomala. Leaves are often palmately split, large stamens degenerated; fruits are large with discoid structures containing several seeds. A pair of incompletely dominant factors, AmAm; the first generation is an intermediate type, often sterile.

Brown-leaf mutation Bronze - normal seedling leaves are green, while this mutant's young leaves are brown and old leaves still green. The factor is a pair of dominants: BrBr dark brown, Brbr light brown, brbr green - though other allelic factors may affect the depth of brown. Leaf color and fruit color are inherited independently.

Calyx mutation Calycanthema - normal coffee calyx lobes are tiny, while this variety's calyx is large like petals. Apart from degenerated large stamens, other traits resemble the parent Typica. A first-generation hybrid with normal plants gives 50% normal and 50% corolla-like calyx, apparently the result of a backcross - so its factor is hypothesized to be a dominant pair C, with cc normal and Cc corolla-like. Because its large stamens are degenerated, it cannot self-pollinate to obtain CC pure dominants.

Dwarf mutation Caturra - plants resemble the parent Bourbon but smaller, with short internodes and abundant yield; now a cultivated variety. Typica mutations of similar type include Sao Bernado and San Ramon. The factor is a dominant pair CtCt: hybrid with normal plants and the first generation is all dwarf Ctct; backcross to normal ctct gives 50% dwarf (Ctct) and 50% normal (ctct); backcross to dwarf CtCt gives all dwarf offspring (CtCt and Ctct).

Yellow-endosperm mutation Cera - from Typica. Normal Arabica endosperm is green; this variety's endosperm is yellow, everything else like Arabica. Its factor is the allelic recessive of green endosperm: CeCeCe, CeCece, and Cecece are all green; only cecece shows yellow endosperm, with a xenia effect.

Wrinkled-leaf mutation Crespa - small, wrinkled leaves, dwarf plants, very little fruit. A pair of dominant factors, CrCr. Initially found as a single-factor mutation with genotype Crcr; hybrid with normal plants gives offspring half wrinkled-leaf, half normal.

Erect mutation Erecta - normal Arabica plants are incompletely dominant, with branches at about a 65-degree angle to the trunk; this mutant's branches sit at about 25 degrees, all growing upward. Other traits are normal. Inheritance is a pair of completely dominant factors ErEr; heterozygous Erer is also erect, and the second generation is 3:1 erect to normal.

Fasciate mutation Fasciata - there are two kinds of fasciation: one is a somatic variation, not inheritable; the one described here is inheritable. Branches fuse into ribbons, leaves cluster densely, petals can increase to 6-12, small stamens increase, stigmas cluster into ribbons; the ovary has two rounds of carpels, the inner round completely sterile and the outer round producing seeds of no value; meiosis is abnormal and some pollen is sterile. Inheritance is a pair of completely dominant factors: FsFs shows particularly marked variation, Fsfs slight fasciation, fsfs normal.

Le Roy Laurina coffee (Laurina; Bourbon Pointu) - mutated from Bourbon, now the variety var. laurina DC. Dwarf, conical tree shape with smaller leaves, but excellent bean quality: slightly acidic, low bitterness, delicate, with charming vanilla, citrus, almond, and lychee aromas. Yield sometimes abundant, sometimes poor; extremely drought-resistant, very susceptible to leaf rust. In 1880, pests and diseases nearly drove this variety extinct. The mutation yields small-grained coffee; the difference from Mokka is that Mocha is a round bean while Laurina is pointed at both ends - hence "Bourbon Pointu." In fact both come from mutations of the same gene, both pleiotropic (one gene causing several morphological changes: tree height, internodes, leaves, and caffeine content all become dwarf or reduced, whereas other mutations cause only a small change such as fruit color). A hybrid with normal coffee gives an all-normal first generation and a mix of normal and dwarf in the second. The genetic factor is a pair of recessives, lrlr; it lacks caffeine synthase and cannot synthesize caffeine from theobromine.

Bourbon Pointu (Coffea arabica var. laurina): in 1771, Leroy discovered this Bourbon mutation on Bourbon Island, the bean shape changed from round back to pointed, and caffeine content fell to less than half of Bourbon's - from 1.2-1.6% to just 0.4-0.6%. Low-caffeine varieties generally don't taste good, but Pointu Bourbon breaks that rule with excellent flavor, as legendary as Geisha. Weak and low-yielding, extremely precious, it was once the most expensive, most sought-after coffee (about 200-300 euros per kilogram) and set a record of 80,000 yen per kilogram in Japan, selling out the moment it hit the shelves! Nowadays it is supplied almost exclusively to the Japanese market.

Large-type mutation Maragogype - from Typica. Every trait of this mutant is larger than ordinary coffee, but yield is lower. The factor is a dominant pair Mg; offspring with normal coffee are all large-type with higher yield, so it is often used as rootstock and hybrid parent.

Small-type mutation Mokka - naturally mutated from Bourbon in Yemen, later spread to Reunion (Bourbon) Island, then transplanted to Brazil, Hawaii, Guatemala, and Colombia. This mutant is dwarf, with small leaves, large glands, small fruit, and naturally small, round beans (bean width 0.39-0.43cm), but good quality and low yield. Small Mocha also produces small round (male) beans, but at only 2% - much lower than the 5-10% typical of Arabica. In Hawaii, small Mocha was also crossed with Typica by research institutions, becoming tall Mocha to suit the terroir of Maui, though the bean keeps its original small, cute shape. Guatemala or Colombia small Mocha may trace to Brazil or Hawaii: if from Brazil, it keeps the original dwarf traits; if from Hawaii, possibly the improved tall small Mocha.

Small-type mutation Mokka - genetic combination. Its genetic factors are two pairs: one is the Laurina (Pointu Bourbon) mutation's completely recessive lrlr, the other the completely recessive momo. LrLrMoMo and LrlrMoMo are all normal Arabica; LrLrMomo is normal but small-leaved with slightly larger glands; Lrlrmomo and LrLrmomo grow dwarf; lrlrMomo and LrlrMomo give Laurina coffee; and lrlrmomo is the standard dwarf small Mocha variety.

Mokka was originally a place name, then became a flavor, and perhaps one day a scientific revolution. Mocha was once the world's most sought-after coffee bean, named for the small town of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast, which monopolized the coffee export trade in the 15th century - especially coffee shipped to the Arabian Peninsula. This special bean, now called small-grained coffee, still grows on Yemen's hills. It shipped out of the now-abandoned port of Al Mukha, affordable only to the wealthiest people of the time; for a while all of it was supplied to the French royal family. Although production later rose and prices eased, the coffee remained expensive and in high demand.

Mokka was originally a place name, then became a flavor, and perhaps one day a scientific revolution. Small-grained coffee is now planted and developed far more widely, but Yemen's varieties may still be the most delicious: like grapes, these crops absorb nutrients from the soil and become unique flavors hard to replicate elsewhere. Now Mocha's history has taken a new turn. In 2004, a small-grained coffee from Ethiopia was found to have extremely low caffeine, far below other varieties. Decaffeination usually hurts flavor, so this naturally low-caffeine bean is exciting. Coffee beans contain a chemical called theobromine (also found in cocoa beans); add a methyl group and it becomes caffeine - a process called methylation. In this bean, that process seems limited, and scientists are trying to transfer the trait to other varieties. Perhaps one day, Mocha will mean high-quality low-caffeine coffee.

Short-branch small-leaf mutation Murta and nana - this mutation is a pair of incompletely recessive factors. NaNa is normal Bourbon; Nana is small-leaved; nana is dwarf, small-leaved, and sparse-flowering. But the mutation is quite unstable, often with chimeric variations: sometimes the plant looks nana but flowers and fruits are Nana, sometimes all three traits intermix.

Purple-leaf mutation Purpurascens - a natural Bourbon gene mutation, now an official variety, Var. purpurascens Cramer, with an extensive root system and drought resistance. San Ramon is a Typica dwarf purple-leaf variety. Medium plants: young leaves purple, mature leaves light purple; light red flowers; young fruits striped purple, mature fruits dark red. Low yield; resistant to fruit rot but not to rust.

Purple-leaf mutation Purpurascens - small, tight beans rich in lipids; a strong, distinct entry moving from sweet spice to florals, then from florals to fruit - like a magician, demanding your full attention: a black coffee that cannot be ignored. Main tones are blackberry, raisin, floral, and lemon; acidity light and bright; texture smooth. The purple pigmentation may correlate with aroma and cup quality, and the variety can be top-grafted to create the special flavors of high-quality varieties. Its factor is a pair of recessives, prpr - weaker than the brown BrBr but stronger than the green brbr - with offspring mostly showing continuous inheritance.

Large-sepal mutation Goiaba - from Typica. This mutation has large, persistent sepals. Inheritance is a pair of recessives, sdsd; hybrid with the normal calyx SdSd gives an intermediate first generation Sdsd, and the second generation a 1:2:1 ratio. The factor is completely recessive to the corolla-like calyx C: wherever C is present, all are corolla-like calyx.

Multiflower mutation Semperflorens - normal Arabica flowers only 2-4 times from July to October, but this mutant is insensitive to photoperiod and can flower year-round, with flowers and fruits at all stages on the same plant at the same time, flowering most from July to October. Yield is lower than red Bourbon and Typica and the beans smaller; it was discovered in Brazil in 1934 and can be top-grafted onto excellent varieties to promote multiple annual harvests. Inheritance is a pair of recessives, sfsf; hybrid with normal SfSf gives a normal first generation, the second generation a 3:1 ratio.

Normal-type coffee: Typica and Bourbon. Apart from yield, these two varieties show almost no appearance differences. Typica is the dominant TT; Bourbon is its recessive mutation tt, with abundant yield. Crossing the small-leaf mutation nana with normal Typica illustrates it: TT is epistatic to nana, and tt is Na-dominant to na. Tt nana and tt Nana are both semi-dwarf plants, the former with larger leaves; the semi-dwarf hybrid Murta (tt Nana) can be used to detect genetic differences between Typica and Bourbon.

Typica (TT NaNa) x nana (tt nana): first generation is Tt Nana, normal. Second generation: TT NaNa and Tt NaNa - normal Typica; TT Nana, Tt nana, and Tt Nana - very close to Typica; TT nana - very close to Typica (Bourbon-like); tt NaNa - normal Bourbon; Tt nana - larger-leaved plant, Murta; tt Nana - standard small-leaf plant, Murta; tt nana - standard dwarf small-leaf nana.

Yellow-fruit mutation Xanthocarpa - the first-discovered variation from Typica: fruits yellow when ripe, early-maturing, abundant yield, everything else like Typica. Yellow-fruit varieties may carry special substances or gene expression that significantly enhance aroma, possibly correlated with coffee aroma and cup quality. Crossing yellow-fruit mutants with purple-leaf mutants yields, in the F2, purple-leaf plants with darker yellow fruit - caused by the purple-leaf gene (prpr) and the yellow-fruit gene (xcxc). The yellow-fruit gene helps raise yield - Yellow Bourbon and Yellow Caturra both show this - and is useful in breeding. But some experiments found that analyzing red, yellow, and orange fruit offspring of Bourbon (Xcxc x Xcxc) showed the xanthocarpa allele's effect on yield to be insignificant. Yellow fruits ripen earlier than red, with orange in between.

Yellow-fruit mutation Xanthocarpa - inheritance is a pair of recessives, xcxc; hybrid with normal red fruit (XcXc) gives an orange-fruit first generation (Xcxc), sometimes with yellow stripes; hybrid with purple fruit gives a dark-yellow first generation. Varieties with the yellow-fruit mutation: 1. var. typica forma xanthocarpa Krug. 2. var. bourbon forma xanthocarpa K. M. C. 3. var. caturra forma xanthocarpa K. M. C.

Mutations of other coffee species: Coffea canephora - 1. Fasciation is a pair of recessive factors. 2. The small-leaf mutation (nana) is a pair of completely recessive factors. 3. The narrow-leaf mutation (Angustifolia) resembles the Arabica mutation. 4. The yellow-fruit mutation (Xanthocarpa) resembles the Arabica mutation. C. congensis shows the narrow-leaf mutation and other leaf and flower deformities. C. deweveri shows a light-red flower mutation. C. liberica - no mutation varieties discovered.

Arabica and Robusta interspecific hybridization - the goal is to improve Arabica's disease resistance and vigor, or Robusta's cup quality. Arabusta is a fertile interspecific F1 hybrid, offspring of induced autotetraploid beans from Arabica and Robusta. Hibrido de Timor is Arabica x Robusta, a natural hybrid with Arabica's 44 chromosomes, resistant to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix). A new dwarf hybrid called Ruiru Eleven was successfully developed in 1985 by Kenya's Coffee Research Station; it resists both coffee berry disease and leaf rust, yields heavily, and suits planting at twice the normal density. Icatu is a repeatedly backcrossed interspecific hybrid: Arabica x Robusta, then hybridized with the Arabica varieties Mundo Novo and Caturra.

Techniques used in coffee breeding include: 1. Controlled pollination and seed propagation; 2. Clonal propagation - traditional methods of grafting and cutting, plus newer methods (tissue culture): in vitro rapid propagation and somatic embryogenesis. In recent years, genetic manipulation of small-grained coffee using recombinant DNA technology and tissue culture has introduced new genes to resist pests or herbicides, or to encode high cup quality - with the new technology it's possible to produce offspring with any desired combination of functions.

Coffee interspecific hybridization has a low fruit-set rate, slightly better with Arabica as the female parent: 1. C. canephora x Arabica var. Mokka - intermediate leaves, large glands, proving Mokka (momo) is incompletely dominant. 2. C. canephora x Arabica var. Polysperma (FsFs) - intermediate, slightly fasciated, showing Fs is incompletely dominant; another tetraploid offspring is more normal. 3. C. deweveri var. Excelsa (yellow seeds) x Arabica var. Bourbon (green seeds) - offspring have yellow seeds. 4. C. liberica x Arabica - the natural F1 hybrid can self-pollinate. 5. C. deweveri x Arabica - the natural hybrid can produce tetraploids.

Coffee interspecific grafting - rootstock: Nemaya, C. canephora T3561 x C. canephora T3751, a Robusta variety used for grafting rootstock because of its high resistance to nematodes. Arabica varieties (any variety) can be grafted onto Nemaya rootstock to resist nematodes, and grafting Arabica onto Robusta rootstock has no effect on cup quality.

The Most Expensive Global Auction Coffees

In 2010, Panama Geisha set an auction record of $170.2 per pound. In 2011 the world's most expensive coffee was born: rare Yemeni small-grained Mocca sold at $211.5 per pound, a record for estate bean auctions - reportedly a coffee with bold fruit acidity and a grape-like tartness. In 2012, El Injerto estate coffee from Huehuetenango, Guatemala set another green-bean auction record, with the first-place small-grained Mocca (Pantaleon - Mocca) selling at a sky-high $1103.4 per kilogram ($501.54 per pound). At the 2013 Best of Panama auction, Hacienda La Esmeralda's natural-process Geisha fetched $350.25 per pound - grown on the Baru mountainside in Panama, shaded by guava trees, rare and extremely sought-after, a must-try for connoisseurs. And in 2016, Esmeralda Red Label washed Geisha green beans went for $275 USD per pound.

Highest-Quality Coffee Varieties and a Coffee Breeding Production Strategy

Only two qualify - Geisha and small Mocha - and neither is a "flavored coffee"! They are both low-yield, small-grained varieties, and no hybrid high-quality varieties have yet been released. The top priority for future breeding is intercrossing these two varieties, then intercrossing with large-grained, high-yield varieties, followed by selection of disease-resistant, excellent offspring. Purple-leaf varieties can serve as rootstock for top-grafting Geisha, small Mocha, and their hybrid offspring to produce top-quality beans with unique aroma and flavor.

General Description of Arabica Varieties

Variety type, examples, advantages, limitations, market: Maragogype (Maracaturra, Pacamara), Laurina/Bourbon Pointu - special quality, low yield, disease-susceptible - niche market. Tall tree: Typica, Bourbon - excellent quality, strong tree vigor, low yield, disease-susceptible, suited to the forest upper layer - niche market. Java - excellent quality, strong tree vigor, partial resistance to berry disease and rust, suitable for small farms, quality not yet famous, low yield - upper market. Geisha - famous, excellent quality, highly unstable, needs further improvement, only in forest systems - upper market. Ethiopian landraces - quality can be excellent, some offspring resistant to berry disease and rust, low-to-average yield, only in forest systems - upper market. Improved tree height: Mundo Novo (tall) - average quality and yield, suitable for mechanical harvesting, disease-susceptible - mainstream market. Ethiopian F1 hybrids - high to extremely high yield, some offspring resistant to berry disease and rust, only produced in Ethiopia, difficult to expand - mainstream market.

General Description of Arabica Varieties (continued)

Typical dwarf: Caturra, Catuai - average quality, suited to dense planting, high yield, disease-susceptible - mainstream to upper market. Introduced dwarf genes: Catimors and Sarchimors or derivatives - average to high yield, some offspring resistant to berry disease or nematodes, rust-resistant but poor quality, needs further improvement - mainstream market. Improved dwarf F1 hybrids: Centro America (Central America), Diamond Coffee - extremely high yield, good to excellent quality, some offspring partially resistant to berry disease and rust, quality reputation yet to be established, yield capacity needs improvement - mainstream to upper/niche market, depending on the F1 variety.

Ideal Coffee Variety Characteristics

There is huge untapped diversity potential alongside modern breeding techniques: a consistent maturity period; strong tree vigor with a dwarf shape and high per-plant yield; resistance or tolerance to major diseases and pests; stable, excellent quality; low caffeine content; and the variable unique flavors of Arabica or Robusta in major and minor gene combinations.

Modern breeding techniques include comparative genomics-based markers for orthologs, Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) analysis, and traits combined with marker-assisted selection; numerous demands challenge breeding capacity, so priority goes to integrating key characteristics into new varieties.

Possible Strategies for Coffee Quality Breeding

Breeding strategy, target market, material type, method, urgent needs: standard quality - conservative selection - new high-yield varieties with no quality loss - all quality coffee markets. Gene introduction - variety screening - introduced varieties. Whole-genome selection - healthy, effective, cheap, rapid prediction and quality phenotyping. F1 hybrid offspring screening - unused Arabica diversity as parents. Quality innovation - selection - new varieties for special/specific quality - integration in a well-defined value chain, pure Arabica lines (possibly Ethiopian), screening unused Arabica diversity for special quality varieties, and mutation breeding.

FrontStreet Coffee is a Guangzhou roastery with a small shop but a diverse range of beans - famous names and obscure finds alike - and it also runs an online store.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For many coffee lovers, Blue Mountain is a name you simply cannot get around. In the days before specialty coffee went mainstream, "treating a friend to Blue Mountain" practically meant high-quality coffee, and even today, with ever more specialty origins discovered, Blue Mountain still holds an irreplaceable place in the coffee world thanks to its distinctive flavor and balance. Many people assume any coffee from Jamaica is Blue Mountain - not so. Strictly speaking, only coffee grown in the specific area of Jamaica's Blue Mountains and certified by the Jamaican authorities may be called Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. The Blue Mountains rise in eastern Jamaica, among the Caribbean's tallest ranges, with a peak of 2256m; year-round mist gives the range its name. High altitude brings wide day-night temperature swings that lengthen the cherries' ripening, fertile volcanic soil feeds the trees, and abundant, even rainfall with a mild, stable climate lets the fruit slowly accumulate sugars and flavor compounds - the conditions behind Blue Mountain's famously delicate texture and balanced flavor. Its status is equally singular: if Ethiopia represents coffee's origin and Panama Gesha the peak of modern specialty coffee, Blue Mountain represents the king of the classic specialty era. The growing area is tiny - Jamaica's entire Blue Mountain region produces under 2500 tonnes a year, a sliver of global output - and Japan's long-standing trade relationship has historically bought over 70% of production, leaving even less for the rest of the world. Scarce supply and strong demand have kept prices high, and in China's early market days, before proper import channels existed, rumors flew that "you can't get real Blue Mountain here" and "the Blue Mountain in cafes is all fake." In fact, even then China consumed a significant share of the global market: since 2003, Jamaica Blue Mountain green beans have been formally exported to China, and today certified Blue Mountain is available through proper channels.

How do you tell the real thing? Certification matters most. Genuine Jamaica Blue Mountain has no traceability code, but importers usually hold complete export certification and origin documents - or you can look for unmistakable green-bean details. On FrontStreet Coffee's product photos, for instance, you can see the certificate from Jamaica's Clifton estate and stacks of the wooden barrels unique to Blue Mountain green coffee: traditional Blue Mountain ships in barrels of 15, 45, and 70 kilograms, and each barrel is itself a mark of the genuine article. You can also judge the beans - authentic Blue Mountain beans are regular and full, slightly upturned at both ends, and green in color - and finally the cup: real Blue Mountain is intensely aromatic, dense, clean, and quiet, with no off-flavors whatsoever; fakes simply can't match that richness. FrontStreet's Blue Mountain No.1 is the highest grade, from the historic Clifton estate, which has grown coffee since roughly 1750; the growing and processing areas sit at an average 4300 feet (1310.64m), where ample altitude, gentle afternoon clouds veiling the forested slopes, plentiful sunshine, and mineral-rich soil give the trees ideal conditions and lengthen cherry ripening. FrontStreet's Blue Mountain is roasted no more than 5 days before shipping - the beans arrive at full flavor and can be brewed right away - and takes a traditional medium-dark roast that highlights its mellow body and the classic bitter-then-sweet character.

For brewing, FrontStreet recommends the Kono dripper, which best amplifies that mellow body. Use a standard 15g single-serving dose, and rest the beans 4-7 days from the roast date for the best flavor. Grind a touch coarser than you would for light-roast beans - about the texture of white granulated sugar - and brew with water at 87-88 degrees C: most scorched, bitter cups come from water that's too hot, though water that's too cool makes the coffee flat. For the ratio, FrontStreet suggests 1:15; some methods call for 1:13 or stronger to dodge bitter, muddy notes in the tail, but that also shortens the finish, and with the right grind and temperature, 1:15 expresses Blue Mountain's full character best. Pour in three stages: 30g to bloom for 30 seconds, then to 120g and pause - a vertical, slow, small stream in circles; then to 225g with a slightly faster stream and circling to keep fines from clogging the dripper and over-extracting. The cup is remarkably clean, complex, and gentle, with chocolate sweetness and formidable body: rich and fragrant, its sweet, sour, and bitter elements in perfect proportion, no harsh bitterness at all, just a measured, perfect acidity and a lasting fruit-toned finish. The same balance shines through a moka pot or espresso machine too - at a slightly finer grind, hot water in the boiler, medium-low heat, off the flame just before the coffee finishes flowing - and it makes an outstanding latte or flat white with milk.