What Makes Typica Coffee So Prized?

Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise beans belong to Typica, the oldest and most classic Arabica variety. Typica shares the same lineage as Jamaica Blue Mountain and Hawaii Kona coffee, which explains why Bird of Paradise carries a higher price. Outside certain chain shops, the beans can be bought for home brewing at a more moderate cost.

Typica originated in Ethiopia and reached Yemen between the 13th and 14th centuries before being propagated in Amsterdam around 1700, then carried to Central and South America as the first variety planted in the New World. Its leaves are bronze, the beans oval or slender-pointed, and the flavor elegant and variable. The tree is weak, disease-prone, and low-yielding, which keeps supply small.

Front Street Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise coffee beans are actually of the oldest and most classic variety, Typica, sharing the same lineage as the renowned Front Street Jamaica Blue Mountain and Front Street Hawaii Kona. This also explains why Bird of Paradise coffee is not exactly affordable. However, aside from being able to drink Papua New Guinea beans at certain chain coffee shops, you can actually easily get your hands on this coffee from a niche origin for everyday home brewing. This article will outline the origin and spread of Typica, its main cultivated varieties, and include a tasting comparison of three beans—Front Street Blue Mountain, Front Street 2013 Typica, and Bird of Paradise—along with brand recommendations and value-for-money analysis, to help coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of this precious variety.

The variety used in Front Street Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise coffee beans is precisely the oldest and most classic Typica, which surprisingly belongs to the same variety as Front Street Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and Front Street Hawaii Kona coffee. This also explains why Bird of Paradise coffee is on the pricier side. Of course, besides being able to drink Papua New Guinea coffee beans at certain chain coffee shops, you can actually conveniently buy this rather niche origin coffee for everyday home use— Front Street Bird of Paradise coffee beans !

Typica

Typica is one of the oldest native varieties of Ethiopia. Its top leaves are bronze-colored, and the beans are oval or slender-pointed; the flavor is elegant, but the tree is weak, has poor disease resistance, and produces low yields.

Typica is one of the oldest known varieties of Arabica coffee, the other being Bourbon. The Arabica species originated in Ethiopia, where it still grows naturally in the highlands of its primordial rainforests. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, it was brought to Yemen; around 1700, Typica was propagated at the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. Typica seedlings were the first variety introduced from the Dutch royal garden to be planted in Central and South America and the New World. Its lineage is pure and precious, the fruit is oval, the leaves are brass-colored, and the flavor is fruity and richly variable.

Typica is one of the oldest varieties of the Arabica species and has given rise to many variant types. Its beans are slender, the tree is tall, the fruit is oval, and the branches are slightly inclined. Typica's four main branches are long and slender, spreading outward at an angle of about 50 to 70 degrees. Each tree's coffee yield is very low, but the cupping score is very high.

Typica was originally called Arabica Typica. A Scottish mission brought this variety from Yemen to Kenya, where the leaves turned copper-colored after planting. Hawaii's Typica was introduced from Guatemala and renamed Kona, with leaf tips tinged with brass. Due to geographical reasons, Typica planted in other coffee belts around the world all differ somewhat. Typica has genetically evolved, and many variant varieties are better adapted to their surroundings and have developed new characteristics, usually considered new varieties—for example, Mexican Typica differs slightly from Hawaiian Typica, hence different names: Criollo (South America), Arabigo (Americas), Kona (Hawaii), Pluma Hidalgo (Mexico), Garundang (Sumatra), Blue Mountain (Jamaica, Papua New Guinea), São Bernado & San Ramón (Brazil), Kent and Chickumalgu (India).

Typica trees have a characteristic copper-red leaf tip, known as red-top coffee. The opposite leaves of the coffee tree are elongated oval, with smooth surfaces, very long terminal branches, and few branches. The flowers are white and bloom at the base where the petiole joins the branch. Ripe coffee cherries resemble cherries, bright red, with sweet flesh, containing a pair of seeds—the coffee beans.

Typica was the first coffee variety planted in the New World. The Typica grown in Java was a gift from the Dutch to King Louis XIV of France, survived in the Persian Garden, and its seeds were brought by the French to the French island of Martinique in 1720.

Typica is the progenitor of many coffee derivatives. Like other Arabica varieties, Typica has oval fruit and slightly inclined branches. The Typica tree has 3.5–4 meters of height, branch inclination of 50–70 degrees. Typica yields very low, but cupping quality is very high.

Typica Cultivated Varieties

Java

Java has long fruit and bronze young leaves, believed to be a descendant of coffee introduced from Yemen to the island of Java. This variety was first brought from Java to the neighboring island (Timor), then to East Africa (Cameroon), and began to be cultivated in 1980. It was introduced to Central America by CIRAD (International Center for Agricultural Research and Development). In Cameroon, this variety is known for moderate yield and good resistance to coffee berry disease.

Maragogype

Maragogype, a mutant of Typica, was first discovered in Brazil in 1870. The fruit is very large, long, and somewhat twisted; the plant has long internodes and large leaves. Yield is relatively low.

Kent

Kent, a tall Typica variety from the Kent region of India. Since 1930, this variety has been widely planted in India. Within this variety is a type called K7, more common in Kenya, which is the coffee bean variety with the best rust resistance.

Typica Coffee Beans

Typica: oval in shape, the bean appears flat and thin from the side. Even if the altitude of the growing region differs, the thickness variation on the side of the green bean is not significant.

Typica was first brought by Yemenis from Ethiopia to Malabar, India, and later taken by the Dutch to Indonesia. It was then brought from the West Indies to the French colony of Martinique.

It subsequently grew in other growing regions and gave rise to many variant types: Criollo (South America), Arabigo (Central America), Kona (Hawaii), Pluma Hidalgo (Mexico), Garundang (Sumatra), Blue Mountain (Jamaica, Papua New Guinea), San Bernado & San Ramon (Brazil), Kents & Chickumalgu (India).

These all belong to the Typica variety

Tasting

Front Street Jamaica Blue Mountain (Typica):

Roast level: Medium-dark roast

Dry aroma: roasted peanut, hazelnut, melon, chocolate-like

Wet aroma: rose-tea, caramel, honey, black-chocolate, almond skins, silky mouthfeel, brightness,

Taste: Sweet and rich, lightly bitter, mellow with good balance, rich layers, lingering notes of dark chocolate, honey, and sucrose are prominent, with a viscous texture. After fully cooling, a strong oolong tea aroma emerges; touching it with a finger, it surprisingly has a caramel-syrup stickiness.

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Grind size: 4 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 88°C

Other drip extraction suggestions:

French press, recommended grind size 3.5–4 / water temperature 90°C

AeroPress, recommended grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

Siphon: grind size 3.5

Front Street 2013 Typica:

Roast level: Medium roast

Dry aroma: pear-fruit, vanila-like, honey-like, peach tea, ripe orange, jasmine hints

Wet aroma: nutty, milky chocolate, herbal-floral

Taste: Smooth on entry, Asian herbal aroma, lively and bright acidity, salivation on both cheeks, soft acidity, mellow with good balance, rich layers, lingering notes of dark chocolate, honey, and sucrose are prominent. After fully cooling, brown sugar flavor.

Recommended brewing methods: Siphon, pour-over

Grind size: 4 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 90°C

Other drip extraction suggestions:

French press, recommended grind size 3.5–4 / water temperature 90°C

AeroPress, recommended grind size 2.5, water temperature 88°C

Pour-over: grind size 3.5, water temperature 89°C

Front Street Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise (Typica):

Roast level: Medium-dark roast

Dry aroma: nutty, woody, spicy

Wet aroma: cane sugar sweetness, hazelnut, toast-like

Taste: The sweetness of toasted bread, nutty sweetness, and the sweet-tart sensation brought out by slight fruit acidity form a nice layered feel. The spice sweetness in the finish is quite distinctive.

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Grind size: 4 (Japan Fuji R440)

Water temperature: 89°C

Other drip extraction suggestions:

French press, recommended grind size 3.5–4 / water temperature 90°C

AeroPress, recommended grind size 3, water temperature 85°C

Siphon: grind size 4.5, water temperature 91°C

Front Street Bird of Paradise Coffee Beans Brand Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's house-roasted Front Street Papua New Guinea Bird of Paradise coffee beans offer full assurance in both brand and quality. More importantly, the value for money is extremely high—a half-pound 100g bag costs only around 85 yuan. Calculating at 15g of grounds per cup, one bag makes 15 cups, costing less than 6 yuan per cup. Compared to coffee shops selling at dozens of yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.