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Coffee Bean Varieties and Flavor Profiles: The "Giant" Maragogipe Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange More coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) FrontStreet Coffee - Maragogipe Variety Introduction Coffee trees are flowering plants of the Rubiaceae family and Coffea genus. There are currently about 120 species, with forms ranging from small shrubs to tall trees up to 18 meters high. Wild coffee species grow irregularly in tropical regions, and new varieties continue to be discovered to this day.

FrontStreet Coffee - Maragogype Variety Introduction

The coffee tree is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Coffea in the Rubiaceae family. Currently, there are approximately 120 species, ranging in form from small shrubs to 18-meter tall trees. Wild Coffea species grow irregularly in tropical regions, and new species continue to be discovered. Strictly speaking, only two major species of Coffea are commercially cultivated for coffee production: Arabica coffee and Canephora coffee (commonly known as "Robusta coffee"). However, a few countries like the Philippines cultivate a third species, Liberica coffee, to meet domestic coffee consumption needs.

Among specialty coffees, Maragogype boasts the largest coffee cherries and beans. Its nickname "Elephant Bean" is more widely recognized. Maragogype was first discovered in the Maragogype region of Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, from which it derives its name.

The Elephant Bean (Maragogype, also known as Maragogipe) has a soft texture and exceptionally large grains - the largest in the world. It was first discovered in 1870 in the Maragogype producing region of Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, hence its name. Elephant Bean has a relatively light flavor profile, but can exhibit better flavor characteristics when grown at altitudes above 1,000 meters. It is suitable for medium roasting but not for dark roasting.

Maragogype is considered a natural genetic mutation of Typica, first discovered near Maragogipe (just one character different) in the Bahia region of Brazil. Maragogype is renowned as a particularly large coffee bean and is also the parent variety of Pacamara.

To put it in perspective, compared to regular coffee beans, it's a "jumbo" - more than three times the size of typical Arabica beans. Currently, Maragogype cultivation is primarily distributed in Central America. According to WORLD COFFEE RESEARCH data, like Typica, Maragogype takes four years from initial planting to bear coffee fruit, with very low yields. Due to its large size, regular coffee processing equipment cannot be used during green bean processing, so Maragogype cultivation is not widespread.

Knowledge Point: Coffee roasting is the process that triggers Maillard reactions and caramelization reactions within green beans, producing more wonderful flavors.

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