An Introduction to the Three Major Coffee Bean Varieties - Are Premium Arabica Coffee Beans Acidic?

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FrontStreet Coffee - An Introduction to the Three Major Coffee Bean Varieties

Arabica

Arabica originates in the Ethiopian highlands, where it was first used as a medicinal herb. The practice of roasting emerged in the thirteenth century, and by the sixteenth century Arab traders had carried coffee to Europe, where it became a popular drink across the continent. Following in the footsteps of European colonizers, it eventually became one of the most popular beverages in the world.

Today Arabica accounts for roughly 59% of the coffee beans on the global market. Thanks to its excellent acidity and aroma, it is the most suitable of all coffee varieties for drinking straight. It has little resistance, however, to coffee's greatest enemy - leaf rust disease. Major coffee-exporting countries therefore work continuously to improve varieties against rust. In appearance, Arabica beans are flat and elliptical.

Robusta

Robusta was discovered in the Congo region of Africa. It resists leaf rust far better, but its flavor is so strong that few people drink it directly. Blend just 3-4% Robusta into a cup and the whole cup tastes of Robusta. Some find it aromatic; most cannot tolerate it, some even calling it musty, and Robusta's heavier bitterness also puts off many drinkers.

Robusta beans contain almost twice as much caffeine as Arabica. They look rounder than Arabica beans. Robusta is also called "industrial coffee," because a small amount can brew a large volume of liquid and save costs. It is widely cultivated in Vietnam, and most of those beans go to large canned-coffee manufacturers. Robusta currently accounts for about 41% of the coffee beans in global circulation.

Liberica

Liberica is produced mainly in West Africa. Its environmental adaptability is extremely high, but it cannot resist leaf rust, and its flavor is inferior to Arabica. As a result it circulates only domestically in West African countries such as Liberia and Ivory Coast, and is hard to find on international markets. Its appearance is spoon-shaped.

Arabica carries rich aroma and premium acidity, with subtle notes of jasmine, ripe melon and various citrus fruits. It is loved by many for the balance between bitterness and sweetness and for its delicate nature. Arabica is grown in South America, Africa and Asia and accounts for about 59% of the world's coffee production. Because it is weaker against pests and disease, it can only be cultivated in highland areas, and Arabica beans grown above 1,500 meters deliver the best quality. That time-consuming cultivation is what achieves the balanced flavor and aroma that mark a premium coffee bean.

More to Know: The Origin of Arabica Coffee

The origin of Arabica coffee can be traced back to 1000 BCE in the Ethiopian highlands. The Oromo people of Kefa traditionally consumed the beans, crushing them and mixing them with fat to use as a stimulant.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste the Ethiopian highlands that gave us Arabica, start with the FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe. It is known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity and a tea-like body - a clear, clean example of the floral, fruit-driven cup that Arabica at its best can produce.

For a more intense, fruitier expression of the same origin, the FrontStreet Ethiopia Hualkui is a standout. Its tropical aroma is extremely prominent - strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, even lychee - with obvious sweetness and very little bitterness. Smooth and full of juice on entry, it is often described as "the coffee that tastes least like coffee," and it wins over drinkers who thought they disliked coffee.