Three coffee varieties that every coffee novice should know

How can a novice who knows nothing about coffee choose a coffee that suits him? Is it necessary to try each coffee one by one? Just understanding the coffee producing areas around the world is a headache, so let's start with the simplest thing. Do you know what coffee varieties there are?

Three major coffee varieties: The three native varieties are Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Arabica ranks first in production, accounting for about 60-70% of the world's coffee. There are sub-varieties such as Bourbon and Tiberica. Robusta accounts for about 30-40% of the world's total coffee production. Liberica only accounts for 3% of the total, and is mostly grown in the Asia-Pacific region.

Liberia, also known as large-grain coffee beans, has strong vitality, but its flavor and resistance to leaf rust are weak. The planting volume is less than 1%, and it has basically withdrawn from the commercial market and is only preserved in scientific research. Therefore, the focus of our discussion today is on Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica

Also known as small-grain coffee beans, it is native to Ethiopia. Arabica coffee trees mostly grow at altitudes between 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level; they are relatively cold-resistant, with a suitable growth temperature of 15-24°C; they require a relatively high humidity, with an annual rainfall of no less than 1,500 milliliters, and also have high requirements for cultivation techniques. Arabica coffee trees are large shrubs with oval, dark green leaves and oval fruits. There are generally two slightly flattened beans, the front is long oval, the middle crack is narrow and curved, S-shaped, and the back of the beans is relatively flat. The caffeine content is about 0.8%-1.5%.

Arabica coffee has an excellent flavor and aroma, making it the only coffee that can be drunk directly and alone among these native species. Jamaican Blue Mountain, Indonesian Mandheling, Yirgacheffe and Brazilian coffee are all single-origin coffees. However, it has weak resistance to dryness, frost damage, pests and diseases, especially leaf rust, the biggest natural enemy of coffee. Therefore, all producing countries are committed to improving varieties.

Arabica coffee produced in different regions, at different altitudes and in different climates has its own characteristics and can show completely different flavors. Before roasting, it smells like grass. After proper roasting, it shows "fruity aroma" (medium-light roasting) and "caramel flavor" (dark roasting). It is suitable for single origins and various blends of beans, and can be made using various extraction techniques.

Robusta

Also known as medium-grain coffee beans, it is native to Congo, Africa. Robusta coffee trees are mostly planted in lowlands at an altitude of 200-800 meters. They prefer a warm climate, requiring a temperature of 24-29°C, and do not require high rainfall. However, this variety relies on insects or wind to pollinate, so it takes 9-11 months from pollination to fruiting, which is longer than Arabica.

If you're drinking instant coffee? Well, it's probably all Robusta, as Robusta is still widely used today as part of espresso blends, especially Italian-style blends.

It is important to note, however, that despite Arabica being higher quality and Robusta being lower quality, oddly enough, top-quality specialty Robusta coffees are often just as good or better than lower-end Arabica coffees. However, high-end Robusta coffees are not widely used, instead Robusta is often used as filler.

As a very important variety in the coffee world, Robusta has made great contributions in the business world. The value of Robusta is not to serve as a negative example to highlight the superior flavor of Arabica, but it has an unshakable position in Italian blending beans. Italian blending will add a small amount of Robusta to the blend to improve the mellowness of the coffee and produce espresso with richer fat.

Robusta coffee beans are mainly used in concentrated blending to increase the body and obtain rich oil. Although the flavor of Robusta is not comparable to that of Arabica, it has its own value.

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