All About Coffee

The Different Types of Coffee Beans

February 20th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

What are Coffee beans? They are indeed coffee seeds produced from the fruit of cherry (the bushy tree of coffee plant). Both ripe and unripe fruits are produced on the coffee plant at the same time, while most plants produce fruit after blooming. The ripe coffee beans essentiality to be picked separately for coffee-making purpose. Due to this, it increases the labor of workers during the harvesting of coffee plants. They are picked on the basis of the plant species. Coffee bean types are divided into four main types: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa.

Arabica Coffee beans

Arabica coffee beans are obtained from Arabica coffee plant (botanically called Coffea arabica) that is native to Ethiopia and Yemen. The plant bears thin, light-green leaves with a wavy outline. On the average, a hectare of land covered by Arabica coffee plant produces up to a thousand dry beans in one harvest. Known as the traditional variety of Ethiopian coffee, beans of the Arabica coffee plant are famous for their delicately acidic flavor, their characteristic refined aroma, and a desirable caramel aftertaste. Also, the caffeine content of Arabica beans is less than other commercially produced varieties of coffee.

Robusta Coffee Beans

The coffee plant of Robusta (Coffea robusta) has an umbrella-shaped plant having thin leaves with outlines more wavy than Arabica coffee plant. First found in Congo at the end of the 19th century, it accounts for 25 to 40 percent of coffee taken throughout the world and is liked among coffee-growers due to the mild environmental conditions required for its normal growth. On the whole, its growth is easier and cheaper than Arabica coffee plant, though the quality of Robusta coffee beans is considered inferior to those of Arabica. Robusta yields a higher quantity of beans per hectare area than Arabica and some of its varieties have a stronger flavor than Arabica beans. Robusta coffee beans are dominantly used in processing instant coffee and making commercial blends.

Liberica Coffee Beans

Liberica coffee bean types are known for their strong exuberant taste and characteristic aroma. Liberica coffee is said to be able to beat against the taste and aroma of Arabica coffee. Liberica coffee bean types are native to Liberia, they develop into a rounded growth and are found mostly in clusters. With their thick leaves and a large size of the berry, Liberica coffee plant is mostly cultivated on a small scale, particularly in Malaysia and West Africa, due to its lower demand.

Excelsa Coffee Beans

Excelsa coffee beans are picked from the Excelsa coffee plant which have large leaves that have bronze violet color when they are young. Excelsa plant is quite robust to diseases and these coffee bean types have a smoky and earthly flavor, but these coffee bean types are not so popular. Beans from Excelsa, like those of Robusta, are also used for producing commercial coffee blends.