What are the varieties of Arabica coffee beans? What are the derived varieties and flavor characteristics of Arabica coffee beans?

It is often said that excellent coffee depends on its variety, and the most common varieties are Arabica coffee beans and Robusta coffee beans. The Arabica variety is considered the best among all varieties, mostly appearing as specialty coffee with excellent overall flavor. Our famous Blue Mountain coffee, Hawaiian Kona coffee, and FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 sun-dried Typica all belong to the Arabica variety. Let's explore them together.

Although coffee has become part of everyone's life, many friends may not understand coffee well. Why do we say this? FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee itself is a profound subject. To understand coffee, one must start with coffee beans. There are about 100 coffee varieties worldwide, which can be roughly divided into three main original species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Among them, the two main types of coffee beans on the market are "Arabica" and "Robusta." More than three-quarters of the total coffee sold globally are Arabica beans, with the remainder mostly being Robusta beans.

Arabica

Arabica, also known as small-grained coffee beans, originates from Ethiopia. Its main cultivation areas include South America (except for parts of Argentina and Brazil), Central America, Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, and other East African countries), and Asia (parts of Yemen, India, and Papua New Guinea).

Arabica coffee refers to coffee trees of the Arabica species, accounting for about 70% to 80% of world coffee production. Due to weak resistance to pests and diseases and slow growth, annual yields are very low. Therefore, high-altitude areas are more suitable for cultivation. Most are grown on volcanic slopes or plateaus above 500 to 1500 meters altitude, with Arabica coffee beans grown above 1500 meters having relatively better quality. The high-altitude environment allows coffee beans planted here to mature more slowly. Slow maturation means the beans will be denser and richer, so Arabica naturally stands out as the highest-grade coffee bean. Through repeated mutations or cross-breeding, it has derived into numerous varieties. Now, it is said that there are more than seventy varieties of Arabica coffee alone.

Arabica can be divided into two to three thousand varieties, all derived from Ethiopia's oldest native varieties Typica and Bourbon, planted in South America or Asia and then mutated. They are mainly cultivated in Central and South America such as Brazil and Colombia; Central American Tikun, Sidamo; Indonesian Sumatra Typica; and Jamaica Blue Mountain.

In terms of appearance, Arabica beans are longer and flatter, with an S-shaped center line. Robusta beans are robust in body, more rounded in shape, and have a center line closer to a straight line. Even the same Arabica coffee tree, when planted in different places, will produce completely different flavors due to climate, soil, and other influences. For example: Geisha grown in Ethiopia and Panama have completely different tastes.

Coffee beans are suitable for growing in countries between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, known as the "Coffee Zone." Central and South America, Arabia, East Africa, Southern Asia, and Oceania are all in this region. Countries with high mountain terrain can produce better coffee because coffee is suitable for planting on hillside slopes around 1,000-2,000 meters altitude. It needs sufficient rainfall but cannot be too humid. The ideal environment is mild sunshine during the day, clouds passing by in the evening, and nighttime temperatures around 10°C but not too low.

Robusta

Robusta is the second most productive coffee bean in the world. Robusta coffee beans are both cold-resistant and immune to many diseases. This type of coffee bean grows best in hot climates with irregular rainfall and can also grow at many altitudes. Compared to Arabica coffee beans, Robusta has twice the caffeine content, making them an excellent choice for a real energy boost. FrontStreet Coffee thinks those friends who are sensitive to caffeine should avoid it, but when made into espresso, it tastes great!

Robusta coffee beans are oval but relatively short, with enhanced bitterness and aroma inferior to Arabica coffee beans, so they are mostly used as commercial beans.

Today, FrontStreet Coffee will help us understand some main varieties of the Arabica species.

Common Arabica Coffee Bean Varieties

Arabica is the earliest discovered coffee variety, considered the best among all varieties with excellent overall flavor. It is the main source of specialty coffee but has weak disease resistance and can only be planted in high-altitude areas. Humans have been cultivating Arabica coffee trees for over 700 years and have developed many varieties. Currently, common Arabica coffee bean varieties include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Pacas, Villa Sarchi, Maragogype, Pacamara, Mundo Novo, Catuai, Geisha, Timor, Catimor, etc. Arabica mostly appears as specialty coffee.

Bourbon and Typica constitute the world's most culturally and genetically important C. arabica coffee group. Historical records indicate that coffee seeds were brought from the coffee forests of southwestern Ethiopia to Yemen, where they were cultivated as crops. Recent genetic testing confirms that Bourbon and Typica were the main seeds transported from Ethiopia to Yemen. The descendants of Bourbon and Typica spread from Yemen to the world, forming the foundation of modern Arabica coffee cultivation.

Ancient Native Varieties

Typica

Typica: Ethiopia's oldest native variety, belonging to ancient coffee with elegant flavor, but far less popular than Bourbon. Like all Arabica coffee, the Typica group should have originated in southwestern Ethiopia. At some point in the 15th or 16th century, it was brought to Yemen. By 1700, seeds from Yemen were being cultivated in India.

In 1696 and 1699, coffee seeds were sent from India's Malabar coast to Batavia Island (now known as Java). These seeds gave rise to what we now know as the unique Typica variety. Its derivative varieties include Mandheling, Blue Mountain, Yunnan small-grain, Geisha, etc., all of which are Typica derivatives. Typica beans are larger, shaped as pointed ovals or thin pointed shapes, different from Bourbon's round beans. Therefore, Blue Mountain coffee has such excellent flavor, partly due to its planting environment and partly due to its ancient Typica variety.

FrontStreet Coffee — Yunnan Sun-dried Typica Coffee Beans

Region: Yunnan Lincang
Estate: FrontStreet Coffee Estate
Altitude: 1300m
Processing: Sun-dried processing
Variety: Typica
Flavor: Berries, brown sugar, nuts, tea-like sensation

Bourbon

Bourbon: An ancient excellent variety, alongside Typica.

The French made three attempts in 1708, 1715, and 1718 to introduce this coffee from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now Réunion Island); recent genetic research confirms this. Only a few plants from the second introduction and some from the third introduction were successful. Bourbon coffee did not leave the island until the mid-19th century, when French missionaries known as Spiritans spread it to Africa.

FrontStreet Coffee — Brazilian Cerrado Coffee Beans

Region: Brazilian Cerrado
Altitude: 1100m
Processing: Semi-sun-dried processing
Variety: Red Bourbon
Flavor: Nuts, chocolate, cream, peanuts, caramel

Bourbon has vigorous growth and outstanding flavor, often winning in cupping competitions. Except for the pointed-shape beans of its variants, Bourbon is almost entirely round beans, slightly smaller than Typica beans, matures later, but yields 30% more than Typica. The disadvantage is that it rests for a year after bearing fruit.

Genetic Mutant Varieties

SL28 & SL34

During 1935-1939, Scott Laboratory prefixed all selectively cultivated coffee varieties with SL. The laboratory selected 42 varieties from different origins and studied their yield, quality, as well as drought and disease resistance. After sequential numbering and screening, they finally obtained SL-28 and SL-34.

SL28 comes from the Bourbon genetic group, with short and round beans, thick-bodied, and flavor characteristics of bright acidity and obvious sweetness. SL34 comes from the Typica genetic group, with oval-shaped beans that appear flatter than Typica varieties when viewed from the side, with flavor characteristics of balanced sweet and sour richness and caramel aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee — Kenya Assalia Coffee Beans

Region: Kenya Thika
Altitude: 1550-1750m
Processing: 72-hour washed processing
Flavor: Snow pear, dark plum, yellow sugar, cherry tomato, plum

Geisha

Geisha: A late-blooming variety.

It defeated the perennial champions Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Typica, and other varieties, sweeping the Panama National Treasure Bean Cupping Competition championships in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2007, it sold at a bid price of $130 per pound, setting the highest price record for competition beans before 2007. Currently, 80% of participants in major coffee competitions choose Geisha as their preferred competition bean. The most famous is the Geisha coffee from Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda.

FrontStreet Coffee - Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Panama Boquete
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Lot: Mario
Altitude: 1700m+
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Sun-dried processing
Flavor: Rose, strawberry, citrus, black tea, honey

FrontStreet Coffee — Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Geisha

Region: Boquete
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Altitude: 1600-1800m
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Washed processing
Flavor: Jasmine, ginger flower, citrus, Ti Kuan Yin tea, honey

Bourbon Amarello (Yellow Bourbon)

A Bourbon variant with yellow skin, unique to São Paulo state, Brazil.

Generally, coffee cherries turn red when ripe, but Yellow Bourbon doesn't turn red when ripe, hence its name from its orange-yellow color. FrontStreet Coffee's Queen Manor coffee is of the Yellow Bourbon variety.

FrontStreet Coffee — Brazil Queen Manor Coffee Beans

Region: Mogiana region, São Paulo, Brazil
Estate: Queen Manor
Altitude: 1400-1950m
Processing: Semi-sun-dried processing
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Flavor: Nuts, peanut butter, sucrose, fermented fruit

Caturra

A single-gene variant of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in the 1950s. The flavor is comparable to or slightly inferior to Bourbon beans, but unfortunately, like Bourbon, it has a biennial harvesting cycle. More importantly, it has extremely strong adaptability and doesn't need shade trees - it can thrive in direct sunlight.

Pacas

A Bourbon variant discovered in El Salvador. Currently, 68% of El Salvador's coffee is Bourbon variety, 29% is Pacas, and 3% is Catuai, Caturra, and the noble Pacamara.

Villa Sarchi

A Bourbon variant first discovered in Costa Rica in the 1960s.

Maragogype (Elephant Bean)

The bean shape is three times larger than Arabica, the world's largest, hence its name. It is the most famous variant of Typica, first discovered in 1870 in the Maragogipe producing area of Pará state, northeastern Brazil.

Kent

A Typica hybrid variety discovered in India with high yield.

Timor

A hybrid of Arabica and Robusta. An Arabica and Robusta hybrid variety discovered in East Timor, close to Arabica, because it has Arabica's forty-four chromosomes rather than Robusta's twenty-two. The flavor has low acidity and lacks distinctive characteristics, often used as low-cost blending beans. However, East Timor has high-altitude pure Typica with washed processing. When purchasing, you need to clarify whether it's a hybrid or pure Typica washed bean, as their quality differs greatly - the former is plain, while the latter reaches specialty coffee standards.

Catimor

The most used commercial bean. In 1959, Portugal moved Brazil's Bourbon mutant Caturra to East Timbor to hybridize with Robusta Timor, successfully cultivating Catimor, but with slightly inferior flavor. However, it has strong disease resistance. Currently, most places in Yunnan produce Catimor variety coffee. But FrontStreet Coffee Estate grows Typica variety coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee — Yunnan Catimor Coffee Beans

Region: Yunnan Baoshan Lujiangba
Altitude: 1450-1550m
Processing: Red cherry sun-dried
Variety: Catimor
Flavor: Nuts, chocolate, spices, caramel, red berries

Variedad Colombia (Colombia Variety)

Colombia is the world's largest Arabica exporter. A highly disease-resistant variety generated by crossing Catimor with Caturra. It tolerates direct sunlight and can be harvested in short periods. Colombia began widespread cultivation in the 1980s, replacing the traditional Typica variety as the main variety. Generally, Arabica coffee trees represented by Typica must have shade trees to provide shade, but the Colombia variety coffee tree with one-quarter Robusta blood doesn't need shade trees and can produce and harvest year-round. However, in recent years, possibly due to pesticides or chemical fertilizers, coffee beans may develop phenolic acidity (Phenol, an odor similar to iodine taste).

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Suggestions

There are many coffee varieties with different flavors, but to brew a delicious cup of coffee, freshness is essential. FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee bean freshness is a very important part of brewing. The coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it's at its peak flavor.

Of course, some customers need FrontStreet Coffee to grind the beans, which is also fine, but FrontStreet Coffee must remind you: if coffee beans are ground in advance, there's no need for resting, because during transportation, the pressure from carbon dioxide inside the package also helps round out the coffee flavor, so you can brew a cup immediately upon receiving the ground coffee. However, ground coffee needs to be brewed promptly because it oxidizes relatively quickly after contact with air, meaning the coffee flavor will dissipate faster, and the coffee won't taste as good. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests purchasing whole beans and grinding fresh for each brew to better appreciate the coffee's flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee has many different varieties of single-origin coffee beans, such as: Yunnan's Catimor, FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan 213 sun-dried Typica, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee; Panama's Geisha coffee; Colombia's Caturra Catuai coffee, etc. Different coffee varieties from various regions await your tasting!

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

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