Types of Coffee Beans: Introduction to the Three Main Coffee Varieties - Essential Knowledge for Beginners

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to the Three Major Coffee Varieties

Arabica

Arabica coffee beans originate in the Ethiopian highlands. First consumed as medicine, they developed a roasting culture in the 13th century. In the 16th century they were introduced to Europe by Arabs and became a favourite among Europeans, and in the footsteps of European colonisers they became one of the most popular beverages in the world. Today Arabica varieties account for roughly 59% of global coffee bean production, making them the most popular coffee variety.

Arabica beans have a milder flavour, with high-quality acidity and aroma, a fruity and nutty aftertaste, and not overly strong acidity. They also have a lower caffeine content, making them the most suitable variety for drinking on their own; most do not need to be blended with other varieties.

The drawback is that Arabica has little resistance to coffee's greatest enemy, leaf rust, and can only be grown at high altitude. Combined with lower environmental adaptability, its cultivation cost and market price are relatively higher.

The main countries producing Arabica coffee beans include Brazil, Colombia, Kenya and Ethiopia, among others.

In appearance, Arabica beans are flat and elliptical.

Robusta

Robusta coffee beans originate in the Congo region of Africa and account for roughly 20% of global coffee bean production. This variety has greater resistance to leaf rust and stronger adaptability, and it can be cultivated in lowlands, so its cultivation cost is relatively low. Because its aroma is overly strong, however, few people drink it on its own. It is best suited to industrial mass production and is therefore widely used in instant coffee and other inexpensive coffee products.

Even so, this variety has a very strong aroma. When 3-4% of Robusta beans are blended into a cup, the whole cup takes on the Robusta flavour. Some find it fragrant, but most people cannot tolerate the taste and even consider it mouldy. Robusta's heavier bitterness is also unappealing, and it lacks acidity, so it is usually blended with other beans.

The caffeine content of Robusta beans is nearly twice that of Arabica. People who need to monitor their caffeine intake should be cautious with Robusta to avoid consuming too much. Robusta beans look rounder than Arabica beans. Robusta is also known as industrial coffee, because just a small amount of it can brew a large quantity of coffee liquid and effectively cut costs.

Robusta varieties are extensively cultivated in Vietnam, and these beans are mostly sold to large canned-coffee manufacturers. Robusta currently accounts for approximately 41% of the coffee beans traded globally.

Liberica

Liberica coffee beans originate in West Africa and account for only a very small percentage of global coffee bean production. This variety can be cultivated in lowlands and has extremely high environmental adaptability and disease resistance, but it cannot resist leaf rust. Its flavour is inferior to Arabica, and the coffee produced has a poor aroma and stronger bitterness, making it unpopular in the market. It is traded only domestically in West African countries including Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire, so Liberica is hard to find on the international market. Liberica beans are spindle-shaped and relatively large, and can be more than twice the size of Arabica beans.

Liberica is now found mainly in its production areas of Central Africa, Indonesia and Southeast Asia, as well as in Europe. Malaysian white coffee is said to have originated from the use of Liberica, which gives it its special flavour. Many Liberica farms have now switched to other hybrid coffee varieties with better yields. If you ever see Liberica beans or coffee for sale, it is worth a try.

Knowledge Point

The world's coffee-producing regions are mainly distributed in the areas north and south of the equator, also known as the Coffee Belt.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, and its beans are a good place to begin if you want to explore varieties within Arabica. The FrontStreet Cerrado Red Bourbon is a classic Brazilian single origin from the well-known Cerrado region; a common Red Bourbon, at a medium roast it shows rich creamy peanut, toast, caramel and hazelnut aromas, rounded rather than acidic, with a light bitter edge. It works as a pour-over and also in a moka pot, as an espresso SOE, or in a siphon or French press.

For a rarer variety, the FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate comes from Mogiana, near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil helps the fruit take up abundant nutrients. Its variety is the uncommon Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of Red Bourbon with a cleaner fruit character. Brewed as a pour-over, in a moka pot or on a home espresso machine, it shows a distinctive sugarcane sweetness along with fruit and chocolate notes.

Brazilian beans also underpin many of FrontStreet Coffee's espresso blends, including the FrontStreet Classic Blend, FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend and FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend. The Brazilian component brings chocolate and cream aromas and a soft balance of acidity, sweetness and bitterness, which helps keep extraction stable. A medium roast and a 1:15 ratio will let those nut and cocoa notes come through clearly, whether you drink the coffee black or with milk.