What are the Characteristics of Ethiopian Coffee - Introduction to Common Coffee Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee - Ethiopian Coffee and Common Coffee Varieties Introduction

Ethiopia possesses unique natural conditions suitable for growing all conceivable coffee varieties. As highland crops, Ethiopian coffee beans are primarily cultivated at altitudes between 1,100-2,300 meters above sea level, mainly distributed in the southern regions of Ethiopia.

Deep, well-drained, slightly acidic, red soils with soft texture containing loam are ideal for coffee cultivation, as these soils are nutrient-rich and provide abundant humus. Rainfall is evenly distributed during the 7-month rainy season; during the plant growth cycle, fruits develop from flowering to fruiting, with annual crop growth ranging from 900-2,700 millimeters, while temperatures fluctuate between 15°C to 24°C throughout the growth cycle.

Ethiopia is the homeland of Arabica coffee, where you can find wild Arabica coffee in the forests of Ethiopia's Kaffa region. In the Ethiopian language, coffee is called "Bun" or "Buna," and "coffee bean" may be derived from "Kaffa Bun." The Harar region was one of the earliest areas where Arabica coffee was discovered, likely originating from the Kaffa forests.

Ethiopian coffee is processed using both natural (sun-dried) and washed methods, with significant flavor differences between the two processing methods. Generally, washed Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Limmu coffees have slightly lower body and earthy flavors, while natural-processed coffees have a more wild taste. However, each batch of Ethiopian coffee may vary in flavor, requiring extensive cupping to find truly exceptional coffee.

There are four main types of coffee trees worldwide, but only two possess true commercial value and are cultivated extensively. The coffee beans they produce are superior to those from other coffee tree varieties. The first is Arabica, the second is Robusta, with the other two being: Liberica and Excelsa.

From a biological classification perspective, coffee varieties can be divided into Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica.

Typica

Typica was the first commercial variety to be cultivated outside the Arabian Peninsula, originating from an unknown location in Yemen. It was introduced from Ethiopia in the mid-15th century and evolved in this region before being brought to India. The Dutch brought Typica to Java at the end of the 17th century, introducing it to Indonesia. Eventually, it was cultivated worldwide.

Morphologically, Typica trees have a conical shape with narrow leaves and elongated fruits and seeds. Although some classify Jamaican Blue Mountain as a distinct variety, it genetically belongs to the same variety.

Bourbon

Bourbon was the second variety to be cultivated globally after Typica, also originating from Yemen. Early French traders introduced local Yemeni coffee varieties to Bourbon Island (now called Réunion Island) for cultivation. In 1859, it was first planted in Brazil and quickly spread worldwide. Its productivity is higher than Typica. Today's famous Yellow Bourbon in Brazil is also a variation of this variety.

The original Red Bourbon gradually replaced Typica in Central America due to its higher productivity. Later, French missionaries brought Bourbon to Tanzania, gradually spreading it throughout East Africa.

Bourbon trees have a more rounded shape than Typica, with broader leaves and rounder fruits.

Geisha

Geisha originated from a location near Geisha village in the Bench Maji zone of Ethiopia. In 1931, the British collected from forests around Kaffa and transported to Kenya. In 1936, seeds were sent to Uganda and Tanzania.

In 1953, seeds were planted and researched by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, and shortly thereafter planted in Panama. Due to low productivity and poor quality, most regions abandoned cultivation. However, the award-winning Geisha variety from Panama in 2004 originated from this sample. Consequently, the Geisha variety became world-renowned and is also known as Panama Geisha.

Knowledge Bonus

Generally, Arabica is primarily used for single-origin or specialty coffees, while Robusta is used for instant coffee. Although Arabica can be defined as premium coffee and Robusta as secondary, this classification is not necessarily absolute. It's more appropriate to distinguish them based on personal taste preferences.

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