Types of Coffee Beans Behind every cup of coffee we enjoy, there are carefully graded beans. The beans are graded based on size, color and shape. The AA grade is assigned to coffee beans that meet all the above criteria except they cannot contain more than three deficient qualities (quakers). These are typically Kenya AA beans. Arabica Arabica coffee beans, also referred to as Coffea arabica, are the most popular type of coffee bean in the world. The legend says that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia when the goat herder saw his herd's dancing more vigorously after eating the fruit of the coffee plant. This led him to experiment with roasting and brewing the seeds, creating the drink we know and love to this day. Although a variety of coffee plants are available however, there are two primary species used to create the basis for our favorite beverages: robusta and arabica. https://www.coffeee.uk/categories/coffee-beans is generally considered to be superior to the latter, and this is reflected in the taste of the final drink. There are many different arabica cultivars. Each one has their own distinctive taste. Two of the most famous varieties are Typica and Bourbon and from which all other arabica varieties were developed either by natural mutation or through deliberate crossbreeding. The SL28 cultivar, for instance was created in Kenya by Scott Labs and is known for its distinctive chocolatey flavour. The taste of an arabica variety will be determined by the climate in which it is grown, and also how it is handled and roasted. The type of shade a tree gets can have a significant impact on the final product. Robusta Robusta coffee beans (Coffea canephora) are the second most sought-after variety of coffee beans. They are the beans that are used in the majority of instant coffees. They also have twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica Coffee Beans. They also are used to make a variety of espresso blends including cappuccino, caffe latte and other coffee drinks. The Coffea Canephora plant originated in Sub-Saharan Africa, but it is now grown throughout the world. It can thrive at lower elevations and withstand higher temperatures than Arabica coffee plants, making it more suitable for farmers. Vietnam is the world's largest producer of robusta followed by Brazil and Indonesia. The robusta plant is a great coffee, but it's not popular with cupping enthusiasts due to its bitter taste and burnt-rubber aroma. Many large coffee companies employ arabica beans for their premium products because it is considered a lower-quality coffee. However the demand for premium coffee is growing and small roasters are trying out high-end robusta varieties to benefit from its superior qualities. Our Valhalla Java and Death With Coffee are two examples of outstanding robusta coffees. They are mixed with arabica for the perfect balance of flavour and strength. These beans are from Uganda, a country where robusta has been cultivated for a long time. You can learn more about them here. Liberica Liberica coffee beans are rare and are seldom used in the world. They comprise less than 2% of the world's coffee bean consumption and are often overlooked because they don't contain the same amount of caffeine that Arabica and Robusta do. They have a distinctive taste that many coffee drinkers find appealing. Despite their rarity, Liberica coffee beans are still very popular in many parts of Asia. They are particularly popular in Malaysia and Indonesia as they have an extensive Muslim population. The coffee industry in these countries has historically been very strong, and drinking a cup of joe after prayer is part of the tradition. Liberica coffee's history dates back to the 1890s in the 1890s, when a global outbreak caused by rust on the coffee leaf caused a massive loss of the arabica crop. This event prompted coffee producers to search for a more resilient plant that could thrive in tropical climates. They soon found the Liberica. Liberica plants are resistant to disease and pests which makes them an ideal alternative to the ruined arabica crop. Liberica is also able to thrive in lower elevations and higher temperatures, which allows it to thrive in the Southeast Asian climate. Liberica beans are used to produce most of the coffee in the Philippines and Indonesia. Excelsa Although it's not typical for coffee lovers to find excelsa beans in their cups, these more rare beans are starting to gain recognition for their distinctive flavor. According to Komal Sable, a fifth generation coffee farmer with South India Coffee Co. The beans are "a variant of the liberica species and have the same teardrop shape, but a smaller size." It's important to keep in mind that despite the family resemblance between excelsa and liberica but this is not an individual one. It's unclear how to classify excelsa beans. This confusion is largely responsible for the lack of existence of these beans in the modern world of coffee. Because of this, many roasters, growers, and brewers don't know how to cultivate and use these beans in a proper manner. It is ultimately up the individual to determine whether they enjoy the flavor of the coffee excelsa and it could take a bit of time to find a blend that matches your preferences. The most important thing is to remain open-minded and try every type of coffee a go until you find one you really enjoy. If you do this you'll be able to explore the entire variety of possibilities these unique beans have to provide. It's a journey that's well worth the effort.