What Does Your Coffee 'Bean?'
Updated: Aug 13, 2021
Written by: Meraleigh Queener
Monday, July 26, 2021
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The Four Primary Types of Coffee Beans & Their Features
Coffee. It's calming, it's comforting, it's breakfast, it's our brunch buzz, it's post-dinner dessert, our stress relief, and the identities go on. For many of us, coffee is everything. With that, we think about the much-needed caffeine to get through our day and the adventurous ways we can doctor it up (or the pleasant delightfulness of taking it black). But have we ever stopped to ask or think about what coffee even is, exactly?
Sure, coffee comes from coffee beans. Right? And coffee beans grow from coffee plants located in various countries around the world. Yeah?
Since this lovely 'hug in a mug' is a big part of your day, have you ever wondered about the taste? Why do some brewed coffees taste different than others? Why some are more acidic than others or why some are naturally sweeter than others, and why most gas station brews are just plain dirt?
For starters, there are four primary types of coffee beans that are currently sold on the market and they all contain their own individual bodies, taste profile, notes, and levels of acidity. They are:
Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica
Smooth, Soft & Sweet (Fruity):
Known as the most common and popular type of coffee served in the U.S, Arabica coffee beans are believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated and the least complicated to grow and harvest. They typically grow in Latin America and represent 60% of the global coffee production market with its largest producer resigning in Brazil. According to Cafe Direct Co, the beans grow at higher altitudes and need to live and grow in shady areas with plenty of rainfall. The high-quality coffee trees are easy to care for being relatively small and easy to prune to, making this delicate bean the most commonly produced coffee bean.
Character: Bold, Smooth & Sweet
Accents: Fruity, Berries
Quality: Medium - High
Acidity: Medium - High