A Complete Guide on Types of Coffee Beans
What are the different types of Coffee Beans?
There are broadly two types of coffee consumed commonly worldwide - Arabica and Robusta – these grow from the two main species of coffee plants: Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta respectively.
Arabica Coffee(or Arabicas)
- Flavour Notes - Delicate having a balanced aroma coupled with a sharp and sweet taste.
- Strength – Milder than Robusta it has half the amount of caffeine compared to Robustas.
- Harvest - November to January
- Conditions - typically grown on higher altitudes ranging from 600 to 2000 metres in cool, moisture-rich and subtropical weather conditions. They require nutrient-rich soil to be able to conform to the highest international coffee standards.
Four popular varieties of Arabica coffee are:
- Kents Coffee
- 795 Coffee
- Cauvery Coffee
- 9 (Selection 9) Coffee
Robusta Coffee
- Flavour Notes - Robusta coffees (or Robustas) have twice the level of caffeine compared to Arabicas.
- Strength - This coffee have a very strong taste, a grainy essence and an aftertaste somewhat similar to that of peanuts. It is possible to grow this variety at lower heights.
- Harvest - Robusta coffee plants are harvested from December to February.
- Conditions – Robusta can be better withstand the onslaught of unfriendly weather and plant pests.Robustas have a better yield and take less time to bear fruit than Arabicas.
Although the Arabica variety is preferred in international markets, high quality Robustas are also highly sought after in espressos due to their strong taste and the crema1 that they help generate.
Two popular varieties of Robusta coffee are:
- 274 Coffee
- CxR Coffee