4 Types of Coffee Beans Everyone Should Know
This article gives an overview of the four types of coffee beans and what they are best suited for.
Where Do You Get Coffee Beans?
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of cherries found in coffee fruit, which come from trees. The coffee fruit is usually red in color when ripe, but it may also come in other colors like yellow or purple.
One of the few goods that can still be picked by hand is coffee beans. Coffee beans are usually picked when they are ripe and ready to be processed.
Currently, developing nations like Ethiopia, Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam provide more than half of all coffee consumed worldwide.
The color of coffee beans does not affect their quality in any way at all, so you do not need to worry about that!
Now that you know how coffee beans are obtained, let’s look at the four main types of coffee beans available today.
Reports say that there are more than 100 wild types of coffee plants around the world. Each has its own scent, which can be recognized by the citrusy smell when the beans are roasted.
Arabica plants have hard, thick leaves that protect them from disease and pests.
Approximately 70% of coffee produced today in the world comes from arabica plants!
If you want a mild taste and a subtle, yet fragrant aroma, choose arabica coffee.
4 Types of Coffee Beans:
1. Arabica Coffee Beans
Arabica beans are the most popular type of bean that is cultivated worldwide.
Arabica plants are best known for their smell, which has a citrusy scent when they are roasted.
Arabica plants have thick, hard leaves, which make them resistant to diseases and pests.
Today, about 70% of the coffee produced worldwide is made from arabica plants!
Next time you are in for a coffee break, you may opt for an arabica coffee to savor its delicate aroma and mild taste.
Characteristics of Arabica Coffee Beans
The characteristics of Arabica coffee beans are that they are generally small, round, and grow in clusters.
They also have a tightly curled seed coat, exposing the coffee beans throughout the fruit.
The plant can reach heights of up to 5 meters, and it can be grown at various altitudes. It is found in South America, Africa, and Asia in tropical and subtropical climates.
Because this plant grows at a high altitude, it can handle the cooler temperatures that are more common in these areas.
The rich soil that they grow in gives them higher yields.
2. Excelsa Coffee Bean
Next, there is the Excelsa coffee bean. Excelsa coffee is the mildest of the four and contains the least caffeine.
It has a “distinctive” flavor and is often used in blends to add body and fullness.
It’s difficult to know what makes an Excelsa coffee bean so special when you can’t actually see them in the wild.
Unlike Arabica, the beans are perennial, meaning it takes longer for them to grow.
This also makes them very expensive, as they only grow in Brazil, Colombia, and Central America.
Characteristics Of Excelsa Coffee Beans
Excelsa coffee beans are grown in Peru. They are harvested between November and December, which is just before the rainy season.
This coffee is grown at high altitudes, has a low acidity level, and has a low caffeine content compared to the other types of beans.
3. Liberica Coffee Bean
Last but not least, we have the Liberica coffee bean.
Liberica coffee beans come from the country of Liberia and are known for their chocolate and nutty flavors, as well as a high caffeine content.
Liberica is a highly prized coffee bean, but it only accounts for approximately 1% of the world market for coffee beans.
Characteristics of Liberica coffee bean
Liberica coffee beans are small, heart-shaped beans that originate in the West African country of Liberia.
Liberica coffee beans are like Arabica coffee beans, but they taste and smell different. Because of these characteristics, Liberica coffee beans are highly valued and sought after.
Liberica coffee beans are highly valued and sought after due to these characteristics. The coffee is bright and fruity and has a rich aroma.
4. Robusta Coffee Beans
Robusta plants are commonly found in Central and West Africa, Vietnam, India, and Brazil.
They are easy to grow, and sometimes they are called the “workhorse” of the coffee industry because they can survive low-quality soil conditions.
Robusta tastes a little bit more bitter than Arabica and has more caffeine than Arabica.
It is usually used in instant coffee or ground coffee because it is less likely to grow mold in damp places.
Robusta coffee beans can also be used in cooking and baking.
Characteristics Of Robusta Coffee Beans
Robusta beans, while not a popular coffee type, do have a few distinguishing features that make them worth the time of any coffee drinker.
They’re typically smaller and denser than arabica beans, and they offer a more pronounced coffee bean flavor than arabica beans.
This flavor is often described as sour, often with exotic taste notes.
Therefore, if you have a taste for the exotic, robusta is a great choice for you.
Coffee Bean Flavor Profiles
This section breaks down the flavor profiles as well as the pros and cons of each.
Excelsa Coffee Bean
It’s the least bitter of the four types of beans, but it still packs a good punch.
This type of coffee bean is great for brewing stronger espresso blends, as it adds body to the drink.
Pros of Excelsa Beans
Excelsa coffee beans are often mixed with Robusta or Arabica to increase the flavor of their beans. However, this does not mean that Excelsa is not good for you.
Due to its moderate caffeine content, there really aren’t any health benefits to be had from drinking coffee made from Excelsa.
However, some people do prefer the taste of this type of bean.
The drawbacks of Excelsa coffee beans
The biggest issue with the Excelsa coffee bean is the fact that it is not as widely available as Arabica or Robusta.
Excelsa is not the best coffee bean to use for specialty coffee drinks.
It doesn’t have less acid than other beans, so it can make it harder for your body to absorb cholesterol and other things that could be bad for you.
It doesn’t always produce a high-quality cup of coffee, either.
If this bean is not cooked well, its flavor can be too strong and make you want to gag.
This is why using Excelsa beans in combination with Arabica and Robusta is such a popular trend in the coffee industry, especially in countries like Colombia and Brazil.
Liberica Coffee Bean
Drinking Liberica has become popular in recent years.
It has a unique taste that is heavy on the chocolate flavor.
This coffee bean is best brewed at high altitudes, where it can maintain its natural sweetness.
Pros of Liberica Beans
The Liberica coffee bean has a higher concentration of phytonutrients than Arabica or Robusta.
It also contains good levels of both caffeine and catechins.
This means that these beans can be just as effective as Arabica in terms of brain function and the cardiovascular system.
The drawbacks of Liberica coffee beans
Although Liberica is as nutritious as Arabica or Robusta, that doesn’t mean that it’s good for your health.
This coffee has a smokey, woody flavor.
If you don’t enjoy bitter coffee, then you’re probably not going to enjoy Liberica beans.
Arabica Coffee Bean
Out of all the different types of coffee beans, Arabica is the most widely produced type of coffee bean around the world.
It is great for brewing any coffee drink; even espresso blends taste best when made with Arabica beans.
It has a velvety smooth flavor with a citrusy aroma, making it one of the most popular coffees on the market today.
Pros of Arabica Beans
Arabica coffee has many health advantages due to its high antioxidant and phytonutrient content.
For example, Arabica beans contain compounds that act as natural pesticides.
As a result, people who drink coffee might need to take less medication than they would if they drank beverages made with other types of coffee.
Arabica beans have a lot of antioxidants, which makes it hard for the body to absorb cholesterol and other potentially harmful substances.
Their antioxidant activity also assists in repairing cellular damage caused by free radicals.
Most importantly, Arabica is good for your heart because it contains high levels of the amino acid L-theanine.
This makes it good not only for the body but also for improving cognitive performance.
The Drawbacks of Arabica Coffee Beans
The best coffee beans, as a result of their volatile price, are those made from Arabica plants.
These coffee beans are the most expensive and have been used since the 1600s.
The reason they’re so expensive is that they’re grown at high altitudes, which makes them more vulnerable to environmental factors.
Even though this makes Arabica beans taste better, it also makes them harder to find.
Robusta Coffee Bean
This is also one of the most commonly used types in the production industry.
In terms of flavor, it has a strong and earthy taste.
Unlike Arabica, this bean is strong enough to handle humid and poor environments. This makes it great for quick grinding and instant brews.
These beans are typically used for instant coffee and ground coffee, and they are also blended with arabica beans for specialty coffees.
These robusta beans are slightly oily, acidic, and full-bodied in taste.
Pros of Robusta Beans
On the other hand, robusta doesn’t have many antioxidants and hasn’t been studied much when it comes to how healthy it is.
It is often mixed with Arabica to give it a stronger flavor and create blends.
The majority of the Robusta beans are cultivated in Africa, so if you’re looking for high-quality coffee beans, these are not the ones you want.
However, this bean is perfect if you’re looking for something that will keep you awake.
Some say that the caffeine levels in this bean are higher than any other type of bean.
The drawbacks of Robusta coffee beans
The biggest issue with using robusta beans is the taste.
When you use robusta beans, your coffee will taste like it’s been mixed with dirt and chemicals.
Also, people who like bold and rich flavors often find that Robusta beans don’t complement their tastes well and that the bitterness gets in the way of their tasting experience.
Just like Arabica, this type of bean has a negative effect on the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol and other potentially harmful substances.
Final Thoughts About Different Types of Coffee Beans
The most popular and widely used varieties of beans are Arabica and Robusta. There are many reasons discussed in this article that explain why that is so.
There are other, lesser-known types of coffee that are gaining popularity and have their place. Take your time trying each one to find the one that best suits your preferences.