What Are the Different Types of Coffee Beans?

What is there not to love about a good cup of coffee? Studies have even shown that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day can reduce your chances of premature death by up to 15%!

If you’ve been drinking coffee for a while then you’ve probably noticed how not every cup of coffee tastes the same. This is because there are different types of coffee beans, and they all come with their distinctive flavor.

Let’s take a look at the different types of coffee beans so you can find your perfect cup of coffee. 

Arabica Coffee Beans

Arabica coffee beans are the most produced coffee bean in the world. They’re considered the highest quality coffee beans and are used in most gourmet coffees. 

The arabica coffee plants require less harsh conditions than other coffee varieties and their plants are smaller so they yield less. The arabica coffee plants grow best at altitudes of 2000 feet or more. 

Countries such as Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Guatemala produce the most arabica coffee. Guatemalan coffee is known for its chocolatey flavor and toffee-like sweetness. If you haven’t tried it yet then you can get Guatemalan coffee beans here.   

Robusta Coffee Beans

Robusta coffee beans are primarily grown in Indonesia and South Africa. The plants are easy to grow. They are called ‘robusta’ because the plants are hardy and immune to a variety of diseases.

Robusta coffee tends to have a more bitter and harsher taste than arabica coffee, but they also have a higher caffeine content than other beans. 

Hybrid Coffees

Because of the stark difference between the arabica and robusta coffee beans, many coffee lovers prefer a hybrid coffee bean. Hybrid coffee beans allow coffee farmers to take advantage of the softer flavors of the arabica coffee bean as well as the robustness of the robusta beans.

Excelsa Coffee Beans

Excelsa coffee beans are rare in comparison to the other types of coffee beans. They are only found in Southeast Asia. The dark beans produce a very earthy and strong flavor, which can put off most coffee lovers.

Excelsa coffee beans are often used in blends because they can add complexity to the flavor. 

Liberica Coffee Beans

Liberica coffee beans are mainly grown in the Philippines. They are by far the most bitter of all the coffee beans mentioned here. They are the Marmite of coffee beans, and coffee drinkers either love them or say that they taste like burnt rubbish!

The taste is certainly not for everyone, and most coffee drinkers will add sugar to take away some of the bitter intensity of their drink. 

Discover the World of Coffee Beans

No matter what your palette demands, there will be coffee beans to satisfy your tastes. While strict single-bean coffees might not quite get it right, there will surely be a blend for you.

If you’re serious about your coffee then it’s worth tasting the different beans listed here until you’ve found your perfect cup of coffee.

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