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What are the main types of coffee beans?

Raw Common Coffee Bean
Philippines
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By Jinwoo Cheon
Updated 2021년 9월 30일
The main types of coffee beans are Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa. Arabica and Robusta coffee beans are the most common and popular.
  1. Arabica (Coffea arabica): Arabica coffee beans account for more than 60% of the world’s coffee production. Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes, in areas that receive steady rainfall and have a plentiful amount of shade. Arabica trees are generally easy to care for because the trees are small and easy to prune. Arabica is one of the most delicate varieties, as the beans are easily influenced by the environment and are prone to disease. If Arabica plants are grown in climates where the variety doesn’t naturally thrive, it can take double the effort to keep them healthy. Since Arabica is some of the more popular beans, Arabica is grown in large quantities (called “monoculture”).
  2. Robusta (Coffea caniphora): The robusta variety is very tolerant to its environment and practically immune to disease. Robusta coffee can withstand myriad altitudes, but particularly requires a hot climate where rainfall is irregular. Robusta coffee beans have almost double the amount of caffeine compared to Arabica beans, and the high caffeine content is what makes the plant able to self-defend against disease. As the name suggests, Robusta coffee beans have a strong and robust flavor. A good quality Robusta won’t lose flavor when added to milk or sugar.
  3. Liberica (Coffea liberica): Liberica is a less common variety of beans but still has an important place in the world’s coffee history. When coffee rusts decimated more than 90% of the world’s Arabica stock in 1890, farmers and government agents turned to the Liberica plant as an alternative. The first country to begin producing these beans were the Philippines and this helped the country’s economy as the country was the only coffee supplier of the time. Liberica beans are characterized by their larger size than other varieties, which are shaped asymmetrically and are the only coffee beans to have an irregular shape. The beans are known for their unique aroma, consisting of floral and fruity notes.
  4. Excelsa: Although Excelsa has recently been re-classified as a member of the Liberica family, it differs from Liberica beans in many aspects. Excelsa grows mostly in Southeast Asian regions and accounts for just 7% of the world’s coffee circulation. It is largely used in blends to give the coffee an extra boost of flavor and complexity. Excelsa has a tart and fruity body, which are flavors reminiscent of a light roast. The unique characteristics of this bean make it highly sought out by coffee lovers all around the world.
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