Introduction to Typica Coffee and Hawaii Kona Coffee

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

FrontStreet Coffee's Coffee Varieties: Introduction to Typica and Hawaiian Kona Coffee

Typica and Bourbon, two ancient varieties, have been cultivated in the different soils and climates of the New World for three hundred years, producing thousands of variants and hybrids.

Intra-specific hybridization: new varieties resulting from crossing two Arabica varieties.

Inter-specific hybridization: new varieties resulting from crossing Arabica with other species such as Canephora and Liberica.

Characteristics of Typica and Its Varieties

Typica, meaning "typical," is the representative variety of the Arabica species and the first to be transplanted from Yemen to India, Indonesia and Central and South America, where it flourished widely. The distinctive feature of the ancient Typica is its larger, more elongated bean, but after being transplanted to the New World it evolved into many different forms, including more oval and smaller Typica. Typica beans have a very balanced flavor, and their gentle smoothness is their greatest characteristic. The acidity and aroma are not overly sharp or complex, making Typica suitable for those who prefer milder acidity. However, when Typica is grown below 1,000 meters or in temperatures that are too high, it tends to develop woody notes. Poor disease resistance and low yield are its greatest weaknesses.

Common Typica Varieties

Elephant Bean: A Typica variant discovered in Brazil, with beans three times larger than typical coffee beans. Elephant Bean has low fruit yield, oversized beans and challenging post-harvest processing, so it is grown in only a few countries, with small-scale planting in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Kona Typica: The Typica variety from Hawaii's Big Island originates from Guatemala. The Big Island sits in the subtropics at 20 degrees north latitude, with cooler temperatures and fertile volcanic soil. Although grown at lower altitude, it produces clean acidity and sweetness that rival even higher-altitude Blue Mountain coffee.

Blue Mountain Typica: In the 1720s it was transplanted from Martinique to Jamaica's Blue Mountains. Over more than 200 years, Blue Mountain Typica has developed better disease resistance, particularly against coffee berry disease, than regular Typica. Yet when grown outside Jamaica, it cannot reproduce its distinctive sweet and elegant character.

Yellow Bourbon Catuai: A Typica variant first discovered in India, whose ripe coffee cherry skin is yellow. Fruit yield is scarce, and it is now grown in small quantities in Brazil. Do not underestimate it: the frequent champion of Brazil's cupping competitions, Yellow Bourbon, is a hybrid of Yellow Bourbon Catuai and Red Bourbon.

Kona Coffee

Kona coffee is produced in the Kona region of Hawaii and is a rare variety that can only be grown on volcanic slopes. It has a rich, mellow flavor with a mixed aroma of wine, fruit and spice, making its taste exceptionally distinctive. Premium Kona has moderate acidity, a smooth, rich mouthfeel and a unique aromatic flavor.

Because production is declining, its price now rivals that of Blue Mountain. The narrow coastal zone of Hawaii's Kona region produces some of the world's best coffee and yields among the highest as well. Fewer than 2,600 acres of Kona coffee land produce 2 million pounds of coffee beans each year. Kona has a captivating aroma, a unique mouthfeel and prominent regional character that make it stand out in international competition. In the United States you can also find another excellent Hawaiian coffee, Hawaiian Kai Farms Coffee (Kai Farms).

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Typica and its descendants only reveal their balance in a careful roast, and Brazilian coffee is a wonderful place to appreciate that quality. The FrontStreet Cerrado Red Bourbon is a classic Brazilian single origin using the Red Bourbon variety, given a pulped natural process and a medium roast that yields rich aromas of cream peanut, toasted bread, caramel and hazelnut with a rounded body, no acidity and a light bittersweet edge. It works as pour-over, moka pot, espresso SOE, siphon or French press.

For a rarer Typica relative, the FrontStreet Queen's Estate Brazil is grown on fertile red volcanic soil in Mogiana, near South Minas. Its Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of Red Bourbon, has a cleaner fruit character, showing the sugarcane sweetness, fruit and chocolate notes that set it apart from other regions.

And because Brazilian coffee is low in acidity, balanced and affordable, it is also the foundation of fine espresso. The full-crema FrontStreet Classic Blend, the nutty Boutique Blend, the well-balanced Black Cocoa Blend and the cafe-focused Commercial Blend all rely on Brazilian beans for their chocolate and cream aromas and their gentle sweet-sour-bitter balance.