Are the Three Major Types of Coffee Beans Familiar? Typica Coffee Beans Are the Classic Flavor of the Coffee World

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Three Major Coffee Bean Varieties and Typica Coffee

Coffee trees are small shrubs that grow in high-altitude regions, bearing white or yellow fruits. The large seed of these fruits is the coffee bean. Currently, 66 countries cultivate coffee beans, which are classified into three major categories: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Among these, Arabica and Robusta are the two most widely circulated coffee bean varieties on the market.

Arabica

The Arabica variety originates from the Ethiopian highlands and was introduced to Europe via Arabia in the 16th century. Among all coffees, Arabica accounts for 75%-80%. Its excellent aroma has made it a beloved coffee variety worldwide. World-renowned coffees such as Blue Mountain Coffee and Mocha Coffee are almost exclusively of the Arabica variety.

This coffee bean variety is susceptible to pests and diseases and has relatively demanding growing conditions, yet its flavor is superior to Robusta. Today, Arabica coffee beans are primarily produced in South America, Central America, Africa, and Asia.

Robusta

High-temperature, humid regions are suitable for growing Robusta coffee. The Robusta variety possesses a unique aroma and bitterness. Even when it constitutes only 2%-3% of a coffee blend, it dominates the entire cup's flavor profile, making Robusta's characteristics quite distinctive.

It is generally used in industrial coffee production such as instant coffee, canned coffee, and liquid coffee. Its caffeine content is approximately 3.2%, significantly higher than Arabica's 1.5%. Major producing countries include Indonesia, Vietnam, and West African nations centered around Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, and Angola.

Liberica

The Liberica variety is native to Liberia, Africa, and a few other countries such as Malaysia. It demonstrates strong adaptability to various environmental conditions including temperature and humidity. Its flavor is somewhat inferior to the Arabica variety, thus it is only traded domestically in some West African countries (Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, etc.) or cultivated for research purposes.

Its cultivation history is slightly shorter than the other two coffee tree varieties. Liberica coffee trees are suitable for planting in lowlands. Their trunks are tall and sturdy, reaching 18 meters in height, with large, tough leaves. The fruits and coffee beans are also large. Its seed coat adheres closely to the kernel, and when ripe, it appears bright red.

Typica

The branch tips of Typica are typically reddish-brown, which is why it is also known as Red Top Coffee. It originated in Ethiopia and was introduced to India via Yemen in the 16th century, then to Java, Indonesia. In the 17th century, the Dutch gifted Typica seedlings to the French, who later spread it worldwide. In the late 18th century, French missionaries brought it to Yunnan, China.

Knowledge Point: Catuai

Catuai demonstrates strong adaptability and does not require shade trees - it can thrive even when directly exposed to intense sunlight, earning it the name "Sun Coffee." It can adapt to high-density planting but requires more fertilization, which increases costs. Consequently, coffee farmers were initially slow to accept this variety.

Conclusion

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a research center dedicated to coffee, eager to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation simply to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we offer three discounted coffee events each month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more people enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices - this has been our mission for the past six years!

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

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