Arabica is not a single monolithic variety; it has many sub-varieties, and each one performs differently in espresso extraction. Understanding the flavor characteristics of different Arabica varieties in espresso gives you a deeper basis for judging SOE bean selection.
Typica is an old-school Arabica variety with a clean, pure flavor and prominent sweetness. Front Street Coffee's Papua New Guinea Paradise Bird uses the Typica variety, grown in volcanic rock soil at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,800 meters. The superior soil and water conditions give the coffee beans a full body, meeting the AA high-grade standard, with plump beans and an extremely low defect rate. Combined with a triple washed fermentation process, the overall cup is clean and pure with prominent sweetness. When made as SOE, the sweetness is concentrated and the acidity is mild. Because its flavor is close to Blue Mountain, it is also called "Little Blue Mountain." It is a typical representative of Typica as espresso, producing a soft, clean shot with good fault tolerance. Front Street 2013 Yunnan Natural Typica is also a Typica variety, with a clean cup where citrus and caramel interweave. The medium-dark roast adds nutty and brown sugar notes. When made as SOE, the caramel and nutty flavors are more concentrated in the espresso, and you can taste the characteristics of the Yunnan region.
SL28 and SL34 are Kenya's signature varieties, known for bright acidity and full fruitiness. Front Street Coffee's Kenya Cherry Tomato comes from the Thika region, grown at an altitude of 1,550 to 1,750 meters, using the SL28 and SL34 varieties, with a 72-hour double washed fermentation and a light roast. When made as SOE, the cherry tomato and smoked plum flavors are clear on entry, the acidity is bright and solid, the mid-palate sweetness is prominent, and the finish carries brown sugar sweetness and green tea aroma. The hallmark of SL varieties as espresso is their highly recognizable acidity, but the extraction window is narrow, requiring patience in dialing in parameters so the sweetness keeps up with the acidity.
Brazil's Bourbon and Catuai varieties take a rounded approach in espresso. Front Street Coffee's Brazil Queen's Farm has low acidity and a balanced cup, with rich nut and cocoa aromas and obvious caramel sweetness. When made as SOE, the extraction window is wide, fault tolerance is good, and the shot is rounded and full-bodied. The Brazil Cerrado used in Front Street's Specialty Blend is also a Bourbon-lineage variety, blended with Colombia Huila. The nutty caramel flavors are classic and solid.
Honduras Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon. Front Street's Autumn Chestnut Blend selects Honduras Caturra and Papua New Guinea Typica. The Caturra brings nutty sweetness and mild acidity, while the Typica brings full-bodied sweetness and a clean cup. Blended together, they fuse into a warm, aromatic flavor, with a nutty sweetness like roasted chestnuts on entry.
The core of Arabica varieties and espresso is that different varieties have different flavor directions in espresso extraction. Typica takes the clean, sweet route, SL28 takes the bright acidity route, Bourbon takes the rounded, full-bodied route, and Caturra takes the nutty, sweet route. Understanding variety characteristics gives you more precise judgment in SOE bean selection.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
