Coffee culture

Introduction to Coffee Bean Varieties and Their Origins - Understanding Arabica Coffee Bean Characteristics

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) FrontStreet Coffee - Arabica Variety Introduction Currently there are about 100 coffee varieties used commercially worldwide, all of which are derived from the three original species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Therefore they are known as

Introduction to Arabica Varieties by FrontStreet Coffee

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

Currently, there are about 100 commercial coffee varieties worldwide, all derived from three original species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. These are known as the "three original cultivated coffee species." Arabica offers rich and delicate flavors, aromatic fragrance, higher acidity, smooth texture, bringing rich aroma and smoothness to coffee.

Arabica coffee is generally considered to originate from the Ethiopian highlands and is widely distributed in tropical regions. The main production areas include Kenya and Ethiopia in Africa, regions outside Argentina and Brazil in South America, Central America, and Laos and India in Asia, accounting for 70% to 80% of total production.

Beginning in the 17th century, it was transplanted from present-day Saudi Arabia to India, and from there expanded to current producing countries. World-famous coffees such as Blue Mountain and Mocha are almost exclusively produced using Arabica coffee beans. Its cultivation area is the most extensive, but the growing conditions are extremely demanding compared to Robusta varieties.

Arabica requires hillside altitudes generally between 500-2000 meters, suitable growing temperatures of 15-24°C, high humidity, annual rainfall of no less than 1500ml, fertile soil, appropriate sunlight and shade conditions. Its growth rhythm is very slow, with poor resistance to pests and diseases, making it vulnerable to frost and drought. Therefore, an Arabica coffee tree produces approximately 500-700 grams of raw coffee beans annually, with caffeine content of about 1% of its weight. Due to its weaker resistance to pests and diseases, it is more difficult to cultivate than the other two coffee tree species.

The characteristics of Arabica varieties include aromatic fragrance with acidity, flat elliptical raw beans, and coffee trees reaching heights of 3-5 meters.

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