What Do Numbers Like 74110 and 74158 Mean in Arabica Coffee Varieties?

Among tens of thousands of different coffee varieties, there are inevitably some beans with particularly unique names! Unlike most varieties such as Bourbon or Typica that have conventional names, these beans have their own numerical codes, much like secret agents.

For example, varieties named with letters and numbers include Kenya's SL28 and SL34, or Costa Rica's H1 and F1. But when it comes to varieties named entirely with numbers, the first thing that comes to mind must be Ethiopia's numerical series starting with 7! So the question arises~ What do these numbers represent?

The Origin of "Number Beans"

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, where tens of thousands of coffee varieties remain officially unnamed. This is because the sheer quantity is overwhelming! The time required for individual testing and verification is simply unimaginable! Therefore, the local government decided to collectively refer to them as "Heirloom" varieties.

On one hand, this was for convenience, and on the other, to protect these varieties! After all, as the birthplace of coffee, coffee professionals from various countries naturally compete to obtain them, just like the story of "Geisha and Geisha 1931"! The numerical series starting with 7 represents a group of beans that shed their "Heirloom" classification and acquired entirely new designations!

The story begins in 1970... In 1970, a disease affecting coffee spread throughout Ethiopia. Infected coffee cherries would lose their vibrant color, turn grayish-black, then wither and die on the branches. This disease was named "Coffee Berry Disease" (CBD for short).

Once coffee trees were infected, they caused enormous losses for coffee farmers! Therefore, farmers began using chemical agents to prevent and combat these diseases. While somewhat effective, this approach involved spraying pesticides and only addressed symptoms rather than the root cause. Consequently, people initiated a variety replacement program! That is, to find natural varieties with strong disease resistance.

Starting in 1973, Ethiopia's Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) targeted 15 regions for coffee bean collection. Continuing until 1975, they collected a total of 639 different coffee variety samples, which then underwent scientific identification and cultivation experiments. Finally, in 1978, among these 639 samples, 13 varieties stood out. They not only demonstrated resistance to CBD but were also high-yielding, drought-resistant, and exhibited excellent flavor profiles!

Thus, JARC classified these beans as "1974/1975 CBD-Resistant Selections," which included: 741 and 75227 from the Gera region; 74110, 74112, 74140, 74148, 74158, and 74165 from the Metu-bishari region; 744, 7440, 7454, and 7487 from the Washi region; and finally 754 from the Wush Wush region. Here, 74/75 refers to the year of discovery, with the subsequent numbers representing their individual codes!

The reason these numerically coded varieties gained prominence in recent years can be attributed to an exceptional "Cup of Excellence" (CoE) competition in Ethiopia. Since the Cup of Excellence publishes the variety names, when the award winners were announced, people discovered that among the top ten, only three were traditional Typica varieties, while the remaining seven all had numerical code names! This immediately catapulted them to fame! Coffee professionals from various countries scrambled to purchase them, eager to explore the delicious flavors of the 74 series.

However, initially, not only were people abroad unfamiliar with this series, but even locals didn't know much about their origins. The champion 74165 variety's grower initially didn't know it was 74165 either. It was only when the association verified its plant during submission that they discovered it was the 74165 variety from that year.

The Flavor Profile of 74 Series Coffee

So, what do these 74 series coffees taste like? Among FrontStreet Coffee's in-house roasted bean selection, there is also a numerical variety - the Santa Veni coffee bean from the Sidamo region, variety 74158. The 96-hour anaerobic natural processing gives this coffee bean an extremely rich floral aroma and fruit sweetness. Below, FrontStreet Coffee will demonstrate how to brew its magnificent flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee: Ethiopia Sidamo Santa Veni 74158 Coffee Beans

Country: Ethiopia
Grade: G1
Region: Sidamo
Processing Station: DWD Santa Veni Processing Station
Altitude: 2050 meters
Processing Method: 96-hour Anaerobic Natural of Fully Ripe Cherries
Variety: 74158
Flavor Notes: Citrus, Pineapple, Guava, Red Wine Finish

Considering that FrontStreet Coffee's beans are lightly roasted, the coffee beans have a hard texture and require high-temperature water of 92℃-93℃ to fully extract their floral and fruity notes. FrontStreet Coffee recommends a medium-fine grind (80% retention on Chinese standard #20 sieve), as too coarse a grind cannot extract the rich sweet substances, resulting in a thin-bodied coffee. Regarding brewing ratios, FrontStreet Coffee believes 1:15 to 1:16 are both acceptable. If you prefer a richer mouthfeel, use 1:15; if you want to more clearly perceive the floral sweetness, use 1:16 to allow the flavors to open up more.

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: V60
Water Temperature: 92-93℃
Coffee Dose: 15g
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Fine sugar (80% retention on #20 sieve)

Three-Pour Brewing Method: Wet the coffee bed with twice the amount of water as the coffee grounds, forming a dome and let it bloom for 30 seconds. Then, using a small water flow, pour in circles from inside to out until reaching 125g, then pause. When the coffee bed drops to half the filter cup's height, continue with the same fine water flow for the third pour to reach 225g. Remove the filter cup once all coffee liquid has filtered through, with a total time of approximately 2 minutes.

When FrontStreet Coffee tasted the brewed 74158 coffee, we experienced rich layering. The initial sip revealed aromas of dried mango, strawberry, and black tea, with prominent sweetness. As the temperature slightly decreased, the orange-like juice sensation became apparent, with a relatively short finish. Even when completely cooled, the fruitiness remained prominent with almost no bitterness, providing a very pleasant palate experience.

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