Introduction to Coffee Flavor Varieties - Does Typica Coffee Have the Best Taste in Specialty Coffee?

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Introduction to Coffee Flavor Varieties by FrontStreet Coffee

Single-origin coffee refers to coffee made from coffee beans from a single origin. Single-origin coffee can be traced back to its coffee origin, not just the coffee-producing country, but even the specific plot of land where the coffee is grown. Through getting to know coffee farm owners and delving deep into coffee origins, we can understand the stories of coffee origins from the source and purchase green beans.

Different regional terroirs result in distinct regional characteristics of coffee beans. The flavor profiles of coffee beans from the three major specialty coffee producing regions—Asia, Africa, and the Americas—are different, which is the charm of specialty coffee.

Single-origin coffee is related to its origin and can also be divided into specialty and non-specialty coffee. Single-origin coffee can also be classified into commercial grade and specialty grade.

So, do you know what conditions a good cup of single-origin coffee should have?

Although ordering a coffee at a café doesn't require speaking as professionally as a professional coffee tasting, keeping it relaxed is fine—for example, saying you prefer something richer or with brighter acidity. This way, the staff can recommend the most suitable coffee based on the flavor characteristics of their house coffee:

African Beans, American Beans, or Asian Beans

Single-origin coffee consists of beans with distinct personalities. Generally, specialty coffee shops offer 3-5 or more types of single-origin coffee beans for you to choose from:

Typically, you can first choose by region: African beans, American beans, or Asian beans.

Representative examples: The bitterness of Mandheling, the citrus-like acidity of Yirgacheffe, the sweetness of Costa Rican honey-processed coffee.

Then, you can briefly understand several common bean types: If you prefer something more acidic, choose Kenyan or Yirgacheffe; if you prefer something richer, choose Blue Mountain or Mandheling. There are also sweet beans like Geisha, which have floral and sweet potato flavors.

Colombia, Nicaragua, and Brazil present chocolate, nut, and caramel flavors.

Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Rwanda present sweet, sour, nut, and lemon flavors, sometimes with astringency.

India, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea present plant-like, spicy, and salty flavors.

Flavor Characteristics of Central American Beans

The overall flavor of Latin American coffee is known for its balance, with balanced nutty notes and fruity notes, but the acidity is not as bright as African coffee, and the body is relatively good.

Flavor Characteristics of African Coffee

African coffee has rich aromas and captivating fruit acidity. Its bright acidity is lively and refreshing, but the body of African coffee is often somewhat thin.

Asian Beans and Island Flavors

Asian beans have a higher body than Central and South American beans and African beans, but lower acidity, with flavors slightly woody, herbal, spicy, and earthy, with a deeper mellow aroma than the bright acidic fragrance. Island beans are relatively light and mild, with an elegant tone.

Look at Processing Methods

Natural process: Naturally processed coffee beans can make the coffee taste smoother and richer, with the lowest acidity, noticeable sweetness, high body, and slightly lower cleanliness.

Washed process: Washed coffee has a clean taste without impurities. Coffee beans usually have bright acidity and fruit aroma, with noticeable acidity, good cleanliness, medium body, and high stability.

Honey processing is between the two, with the overall flavor highlighting the sweet aroma of pectin and fruity notes, similar to mango, longan, honey, and hazelnut aromas. The mouthfeel is thick but the acidity is relatively low and smooth. Honey-processed coffee is sweeter than washed coffee, with higher sugar content. Generally, the more mucilage remaining on the beans, the stronger the sweet sensation.

Wet-hulling reduces the fermentation period of coffee beans due to the shortened drying time, greatly reducing acidity and increasing body. Moreover, caramel and fruit aromas are obvious, with slight woody and herbal notes.

Among the four processing methods, washed has the highest acidity, natural process has better sweetness and complexity, honey processing is between the two, and wet-hulling tends toward bitterness.

The natural process involves directly exposing the entire coffee fruit to sunlight; washing involves removing the skin, pulp, and pectin before drying; honey processing involves removing the pulp and then drying the fruit with the parchment; wet-hulling is common in Indonesia and is similar to washing, but when the beans are moist and soft with a moisture content as high as 30-35%, the parchment is removed, exposing the surface of the green beans directly, and then continuing to dry.

Typica

This is a natural variety of the original Arabica species. Currently, Typica is the most common bean variety worldwide because the Dutch once planted this coffee in Indonesia, which later spread throughout Central and South America. Typica coffee has lower yields and is highly susceptible to leaf rust disease, so most plantations do not grow Typica coffee alone. Unlike other bean varieties, Typica coffee fruits are conical. Typica coffee has extremely high quality and is therefore very popular among plantations worldwide. When properly cultivated, Typica coffee has high sweetness, a pure taste, and pleasant acidity.

Knowledge point: Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans are of the Typica variety.

FrontStreet Coffee's Philosophy

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a research-oriented coffee establishment, happy to share knowledge about coffee with everyone. We share without reservation just to let more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three coffee events with low discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

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