What types of coffee beans are there?

If you're into coffee, you've probably already figured out how many different types of coffee there are on the market. Before we started with Zwarte Roes, it was a mystery to us too, and we sometimes couldn't see the forest for the trees.

To really understand what all these types of coffee beans are all about, I want to take you back to the basics.

You've probably heard of 100% Arabica, but besides Arabica, there are three other types of coffee beans.

In this blog post, I'll take you a little deeper into the wonderful world of coffee. There are significant differences between the various types of coffee beans that can help you decide which coffee to buy next time.

And beware, some coffees are undrinkable! Fortunately, our Arabica coffee beans are. We've chosen to sell only 100% Arabica coffee because of its excellent and complex flavor profiles.

I'll explain the different types of coffee in order of popularity: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and finally Excelsa.

Arabica

Arabica coffee comes from the beans of the Coffea Arabica plant. This plant originated in Ethiopia and was discovered by the goat herder Kaldi in the 10th century.

Kaldi discovered that his goats became quite cheerful after eating the berries of this plant. He investigated and discovered that these coffee berries contained a special substance: caffeine.

Also read: Where does coffee come from?

Arabica is the world's most popular coffee variety. 60% of the coffee consumed worldwide is Arabica. The Arabica coffee plant also has many different subspecies. These are the varieties you'll find on the label of our Arabica coffee beans.

Below is a list of the most popular types:

• Typical
• Caturra
• Pacamara,
• Bourbon,
• Kona,
• Geisha
• And much more…

In the intro I already mentioned that Arabica generally has more complex flavor profiles than other types of coffee beans.

Of course, there's no arguing about taste, but 100% Arabica coffee is known for having the most complex, fruity, and acidic flavors of all coffee types.

This also contributes to its global popularity and the growth of specialty coffee. Because specialty coffee is all about unique flavors and a high acidity level in your cup of coffee.

Finally, Arabica coffee is also the most expensive. This is mainly because this coffee plant only grows at high altitudes.

The plant has many demands on its environment, such as humidity, rainfall, sunshine, and much more. All these factors make these coffee beans scarce and significantly increase the price.

Robusta

Robusta coffee comes from the Coffea canephora plant, which also originated in Africa. Coffee beans from the Robusta plant are much less sought after than Arabica coffee beans.

Robusta is known for its bitter taste properties and is mainly used in instant coffee, espresso or as a filler for some blends and ground coffee.

This is mainly due to the cheaper price of Robusta coffee.

The flavor of Robusta is therefore primarily bitter and less complex than Arabica varieties. People often seek a slightly stronger flavor in espressos, cappuccinos, or lattes. Robusta can certainly contribute to this.

The slightly bitter flavors are mainly due to the higher caffeine content in Robusta coffee. This can further reinforce the impression of "stronger coffee."

Robusta grows at lower altitudes than its popular cousin, Arabica. As the name suggests, this plant is much more robust and less susceptible to diseases and parasites. It grows easily and quickly, and can produce a substantial harvest.

Incidentally, that robustness comes from the higher caffeine content of the plant's berries. This natural defense mechanism protects the plant against diseases, fungi, and parasites.

Due to the easier and larger harvests and a less popular flavor profile, this coffee is also a lot cheaper than the Arabica variety.

Is that why major coffee brands add so much Robusta to their blends? Hmmm... I think so. Time for further research ;-).

Liberica

I've never personally tasted coffee beans from the Liberica plant. They're also quite scarce and not widely available.

The coffee plant originated in Liberia. The coffee cherries and beans from this plant are considerably larger than Arabica beans and have an irregular, non-symmetrical shape.

In terms of flavor profile, Liberica coffee beans have a fruity character with a lot of depth.

Around 1890, the Liberica plant was transported to other countries and became particularly popular in Southeast Asia. Due to the mass extinction of the Arabica coffee variety, people began searching for an alternative.

The Liberica plant is much stronger than the Arabica plant, thrives in hot climates, is resistant to pesticides and, like the Robusta plant, can grow at low altitudes.

Liberica is one of the rarest coffee bean varieties, as only a handful of producers cultivate it. Therefore, it's very difficult to obtain. Curious?

The Liberica species is widely cultivated in the following countries:

• Malaysia
• The Philippines
• Indonesia

Excelsa

Also discovered in Africa in the 20th century, the Excelsa coffee variety is a unique, resilient, and productive one. Like Liberica, this variety is also minimally traded and cultivated.

Unlike other coffee bean varieties, Excelsa coffee beans grow more like trees than shrubs. The Excelsa plant must therefore truly reach for the sky to achieve good production.

The coffee beans from the Excelsa plant are lower in caffeine than other coffee bean varieties, yet are very resistant to diseases that often occur in other coffee varieties.

Conclusion

Besides all the different coffees from so many different countries, there are also various plant species that produce different types of coffee beans. All these coffee plants originated in Africa and have spread throughout the world over the years.

Besides the popular Arabica and Robusta varieties, there are two other varieties we don't know much about yet. Liberica and Excelsa are still relatively unpopular, but they possess certain properties that could be very interesting for the future of coffee, which is currently threatened by climate change.

Partly because of this, the area in which the Arabica coffee plant thrives is rapidly shrinking, and the future of the Arabica variety is extremely uncertain.

I expect that in the next ten years these currently unknown species will make their mark. Stay tuned.