Coffee Varieties

Green beans

Coffee varieties: The word "coffee" comes from the Greek word "Kaweh", which means "strength and passion". The coffee tree is an evergreen shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae family. There are more than 40 species of coffee plants, but there are only three types of coffee beans that can be used for human consumption or commercial purposes in the food industry: Arabica, Robusta and Liberia. Among them, the Liberia species is rarely circulated in the market because of its poor flavor and inability to resist leaf rust. We mainly introduce Arabica and Robusta coffee to entry-level coffee lovers.

1. Arabica

The native place of Arabica is Ethiopia, which is known as the cradle of mankind and coffee. The Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in mythology is believed to be surrounded by several major coffee producing areas in Ethiopia. It was initially found to have a good effect of refreshing the mind and was taken as medicine. Later, it was used by Muslims as a secret medicine for healing the body and mind and for evening prayers. It spread from Arabia to the world and became a widely loved beverage by people all over the world.

Arabica coffee beans account for about 70% of the global production. It has excellent aroma and flavor, which makes it the only native coffee variety that can be drunk directly. However, Arabica has high requirements for the environment and planting. It is not resistant to drought, frost, pests and diseases, especially leaf rust (the plague of coffee), which can cause large areas of coffee plantations to fail. Sri Lanka was once a world-famous coffee producing area. At the end of the 19th century, the rampant leaf rust caused the destruction of coffee estates across the country. After that, Sri Lanka switched to growing black tea.

The main production areas of Arabica are Central America, South America, Africa (mainly in East African countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya), Asia (mainly in Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam), and Hawaii in the United States. Arabica coffee trees are suitable for tropical cold and high-altitude areas. They especially like to grow on steep slopes, especially terrains with large temperature differences between day and night, suitable sunshine and shade, and prone to morning fog, which can produce high-quality Arabica beans. Fertile volcanic soil with sufficient moisture and rich organic matter is an excellent environment for coffee cultivation. The main production areas of coffee are mainly concentrated in tropical countries between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, among which the quality of coffee north of the equator is better than that of coffee south of the equator.

Arabica coffee beans are grown on steep slopes, making them difficult to harvest mechanically. They are mainly picked by hand, and transportation is also inconvenient. Therefore, the price of Arabica beans is significantly higher than that of Robusta beans.

Arabica beans are small-grain beans that are flat and oval in shape. They have a strong, rich and delicate aroma, pleasant sourness, smooth texture, and less bitterness.

The Arabica species originated in Ethiopia and spread to various places. After repeated mutations and hybridization, many coffee varieties have been derived. Some have been improved in quality and flavor, while others have been improved in adaptability to the environment, resistance to diseases and pests, and yield. Dozens of varieties have now been developed, including: Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Pacamara, Kadimo, Maragogipe, Mondo Novo, Kent, Amare, and variants of Colombia.

2. Robusta

Robusta means "tenacious and strong". Robusta is a variety resistant to leaf rust found in Congo, Africa. It has stronger resistance to pests and diseases, drought and cold than Arabica. Robusta grows in hot and humid areas and is widely planted in lowlands and plains below 1,000 meters above sea level. Robusta beans have a unique "strange aroma" and bitterness. People who like it will think it is a very charming aroma, while people who don't like it will think it is a musty smell. A cup of coffee made from Arabica and Robusta blended coffee beans, as long as the proportion of Robusta beans exceeds 3%, the whole cup of coffee will taste like Robusta. Its style is so distinct and strong that almost no one drinks 100% Robusta coffee. If Robusta beans are used directly, they are mainly used in the formulation of blended beans. Robusta beans are more used for instant coffee, bottled coffee drinks, raw materials for the food industry, etc. The caffeine content of Robusta beans is about 2-3 times that of Arabica, much higher than the 1.5% of Arabica.

Robusta beans are mainly grown in lowlands and plains below 1,000 meters above sea level. They grow fast, are resistant to pests and diseases, and can be grown on relatively poor land, so their aroma and taste are far inferior to Arabica beans. The main producers of Robusta beans are Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil and other countries.

Robusta beans have a large yield and can be harvested mechanically when grown in lowlands and plains. They have a great price advantage over Arabica beans, so they are used in large quantities in commercial beans. Because Robusta beans are rich in oil, the home of espresso, Italy, uses a very high proportion of Robusta beans. Some Italian bean manufacturers or stores use a blending ratio of 30-60% of Robusta beans. One thing to remind you is that not all Arabica beans are good beans, and not all Robusta beans are bad. In recent years, Uganda, the home of Robusta beans, has also cultivated high-quality Robusta beans.

The flavor of Robusta beans is relatively mediocre and pungent, with less obvious sourness and stronger bitterness. Unroasted Robusta beans smell like raw peanuts, and the taste after roasting is close to wheat tea. Deep roasting produces a rubbery smell (also known as a burnt tire smell), so when used in instant or canned coffee beverages, flavorings are generally added, otherwise ordinary people will not be able to enjoy it.