Beyond Arabica — coffee species and varieties for beginners
To newcomers, a discussion of coffee types can sound like sorcerers discussing potion ingredients. Terms such as Typica, pure Bourbon or Medellín Excelso seem like black magic until you realise they simply concern coffee species, varieties and origins. Coffee plants differ just as apple varieties do. Someone who loves one apple need not like another, just as a fan of Blue Mountain coffee may be less enthusiastic about Brazil Santos.
Three queens
Coffee belongs to the genus Coffea within the Rubiaceae family, with more than a hundred known species. Three names are especially important to the coffee-drinking world: Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora — Robusta — and the much less familiar Coffea liberica.
Liberica is the rarest of these commercially grown coffees, representing less than 1% of the global market in the figures discussed here. Connoisseurs nevertheless argue that its flavour should not be overlooked.
Arabica — the delicate queen?
Arabica is regarded as the mother of coffees. According to legend, an Ethiopian shepherd discovered the plant's invigorating qualities. The fame of this remarkable drink spread from Ethiopia to nearby Yemen, where coffee cultivation developed.
Centuries later, European growers seeking coffee's energising appeal helped take Arabica to new environments: volcanic Java, the tropical island of Réunion and, around the eighteenth century, Brazil.
The beans' quality and flavour are linked partly to their sugars and fats, alongside relatively low caffeine content. That lower caffeine level also leaves Arabica more vulnerable to diseases and pests, because caffeine acts as a natural defence.
How should you enjoy Arabica? Its gently sweet and often floral character makes it excellent without additions. A good Brazil Santos espresso is our recommendation for anyone seeking a morning energy boost.
Robusta — the tough one
Robusta is the hardier sister. Its much higher caffeine content helps make crops more resistant to disease. It is also less demanding, tolerating lower elevations and different growing conditions. In Vietnam, one of the world's coffee powerhouses, it accounts for approximately 97% of cultivation in the figures cited here.
Its caffeine-rich character contributes to a more intense cup, with acidity, bitterness and sometimes smoky notes. These beans work well in blends and coffee drinks because their strong aroma is harder to overwhelm.
Want to try it? Brew Early Bird Espresso, a balanced blend of Arabica and Robusta beans from India!
A wealth of varieties — Typica, Bourbon and Blue Mountain
For centuries, coffee cultivation has pursued richer aromas. Decades of experimentation produced local varieties whose differences are as clear to connoisseurs and Q graders as different apples are to the rest of us.
Yemeni Arabica cultivation gave the world Typica, carried on Dutch merchant ships to Indonesia. There it spread rapidly, benefiting from humid evergreen forests and volcanic soil. Names associated with this family include Sumatra, Blue Mountain, Guatemala and Kent.
Coffee from Yemen also travelled to French colonies. Early cultivation on Île Bourbon, now Réunion, established the Bourbon lineage, with varieties such as Laurina, SL-34 and French Mission associated with that wider history.
Robusta also began a world tour after its commercial discovery. The French quickly recognised its potential and less demanding cultivation needs. Farms in Indochina — present-day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia — became major suppliers. Today, Robusta is grown widely, while names such as Catimor, Tupi and Lempi also appear in discussions of coffee breeding and local varieties.
In pursuit of the ideal
Coffee connoisseurs like to have favourites. Depending on your taste, your “one and only” might be Typica, clean and gently sweet; Red Bourbon, demanding to grow but rewarding with a complex bouquet; or exclusive Geisha, which reaches extraordinary auction prices.
The search for an ideal coffee can take years. Explore the differences by brewing traditionally in a moka pot. We encourage you to keep trying, and we are happy to help with your search!