The variety of coffee beans determines the fundamental direction of the flavor in the cup, and also affects the difficulty of cultivation and disease resistance. Within the large Arabica family, Typica and Bourbon are the two oldest foundations, from which numerous varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, Mundo Novo, and Geisha have derived. Front Street Coffee takes you through a systematic overview of the flavor characteristics and taste differences from heirloom varieties to popular varieties, and introduces the representative producing regions and product information for each variety one by one, helping you more clearly understand the flavor logic behind coffee varieties.

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When tasting coffee, the topics we often discuss include flavor performance, origin background, extraction parameters, and coffee varieties. The variety of coffee beans directly influences the flavor direction and quality level, and also determines the cultivation conditions and disease resistance of the coffee tree. This time, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) will talk about the variety system of specialty coffee.

The spread of coffee varieties went through more than a dozen centuries. In 1699, the East India Company brought coffee to Indonesia, where it took root on the island of Java. The Dutch were the first people to introduce coffee from the Arab region to Europe; they first introduced coffee to Batavia, and then brought it into Europe. In 1706, several coffee trees were shipped from Java back to Amsterdam and successfully cultivated in greenhouses. In 1713, the seedlings grown from these seeds were given to King Louis XIV of France.

In 1723, a French military officer named Clieu secretly brought a seedling from the Jardin des Plantes in Paris to Martinique, where he was assigned. This tree became the first coffee tree in the entire Caribbean region and from there spread throughout Central and South America. This is the famous Age of Discovery propagation. Although Europe does not produce coffee beans, the Netherlands and France played indispensable roles in the globalization of coffee. Starting from its African place of origin, coffee gradually expanded into three major cultivation regions: the Asia and Pacific region, the Latin America region, and the Africa region, with a small amount of production in Australia as well.

The schools and families of coffee beans

According to the biological classification of "kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species," coffee belongs to the genus Coffea in the family Rubiaceae, and only three species have commercial value. Coffea Arabica, Coffea Robusta (also known as Coffea canephora), and Coffea Liberica—these three varieties are collectively called the "three major native species of coffee."

An overview of the three native species of coffee beans:

1. Arabica originated in Ethiopia and has the best flavor, aroma, and quality, accounting for about 60% to 70% of total world production. It is widely cultivated and is the main source of demand for specialty coffee.

2. Robusta originated in Congo and is cultivated in Africa and Indonesia. It has strong resistance to pests, but its quality and aroma are inferior to Arabica. Instant coffee mostly uses this variety. Robusta, also called medium bean coffee, accounts for about 30% and is mainly used for instant and canned coffee. Its caffeine content is twice that of Arabica.

3. Liberica originated in Liberia and is also called large bean coffee. Because it is not resistant to leaf rust and has poor flavor, it is traded only in West Africa, Suriname, Libya, Côte d'Ivoire, Malaysia, and other countries, and is not prevalent around the world. However, it has the strongest adaptability and holds a rather important position in the improvement of coffee varieties.

Among them, Arabica has the greatest commercial value and has also accounted for a large share of research and classification, thus giving rise to many detailed coffee varieties, among which Typica and Bourbon are the oldest and most famous.

Typica

The variety closest to the heirloom species, originally from Kaffa in Ethiopia and Yemen. The ancestor of Arabica varieties, Typica is an excellent variety, showing excellent clarity and body, with citric acidity and a sweet finish. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, and the beans are oval or slender-pointed; the tree is 3-4 meters tall, conical in shape, with an angle of about 50-70 degrees between the trunk and branches. The leaves are narrow and bronze-colored. The berries are more oval than those of other varieties. In Central America it is called Arabigo or Criollo. Its resistance to leaf rust is low, making it difficult to care for, and the tree has low yields; combined with a long harvest period, production is small.

Typica has genetically evolved, and many mutated varieties can better adapt to their surrounding environment and develop new characteristics. They are usually considered new coffee varieties. For example, Mexican Typica and Hawaiian Typica are slightly different, and therefore have different names; Criollo (South America), Arabigo (America), Kona (Hawaii), Pluma Hidalgo (Mexico), Garundang (Sumatra), Blue Mountain (Jamaica, Papua New Guinea), San Bernado & San Ramon (Brazil), Kent and Chickumalgu (India) all belong to Typica coffee.

Representative varieties:

Front Street Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1

Region: Jamaica Blue Mountain producing area

Estate: Clifton

Altitude: 1310 meters

Variety: Typica

Processing method: Washed

Front Street 2013 Yunnan Arabica Typica

Country: China

Region: Yunnan, Lincang

Altitude: 1300 meters

Variety: Typica

Processing method: Washed

Front Street. Panama · Elida Estate

Region: Boquete, Panama

Estate: Elida Estate

Altitude: 1850 meters

Variety: Catuai

Processing method: Natural

Maragogype

Maragogype (or Elephant Bean) is the most famous mutant bean of Typica. It was discovered in a place called Maragogype in Bahia, Brazil. Its beans are at least three times larger than ordinary Arabica, hence the name elephant bean. The taste is very mild with a slight sweet-tartness, and it is not easy to roast. A light roast is recommended, because a dark roast will fail to express its characteristics. It was first discovered in 1870 in the Maragogype bean-producing area of Bahia state in northeastern Brazil. Maragogype has poor flavor at low altitudes, but at high altitudes it has better flavor, mild acidity, and a pleasant sweet aroma.

Bourbon

A variety that mutated from Typica, and together with Typica it is currently one of the varieties closest to the heirloom species. Bourbon spread from southwestern Ethiopia to Yemen, and its bean shape changed from slender-pointed to round. In 1715, the French transplanted the round bean of Yemen Mocha to Bourbon Island off the east coast of Africa (renamed Reunion Island after the French Revolution), and only then did it get the name Bourbon. The Bourbon round bean was passed on to Brazil and Central and South America in 1727. In 1732, the British transplanted Yemen Mocha to St. Helena (later the place where Napoleon was imprisoned), which was also the Bourbon round bean. Bourbon is a frequent winner in American specialty coffee cupping. Bourbon produces 20-30% more fruit than Typica.

Characteristics of the Bourbon family: complex acidity, caramel sweetness, balance. The Bourbon tree is tall and vigorous, with slightly serrated green leaves that are relatively broad. The coffee beans it bears are relatively small and grow densely, so the beans appear smaller and rounder than Typica. The fruit can be red, yellow, or orange, varying by mutation and soil texture, with red fruit being the most common. Although Bourbon has higher yield than Typica, it is still considered a low-yield variety, and it is highly susceptible to leaf rust, berry disease, and nematode infection. To produce beans with a uniquely superior flavor, the ideal growing altitude is 1100 to 2200 meters.

Front Street. Brazil Semi-Washed Red Bourbon

Region: South Minas, Brazil

Altitude: 1000 meters

Variety: Red Bourbon

Processing method: Semi-washed

Yellow Bourbon

When the fruit of Yellow Bourbon ripens, it is not red like ordinary coffee cherries, but yellow. It was first discovered in Brazil in 1930 and is currently mainly grown in Brazil. It is generally believed that it may have originated from a mutation after hybridization between a red-fruited Bourbon and a yellow-fruited Typica mutation called "Amerelo de Botocatu" (discovered in São Paulo in 1871). Because of its relatively low yield and lower resistance to wind and rain, it has not been widely planted. However, when grown at high altitudes, it shows excellent flavor performance, and in recent years it has become more common.

For example, Front Street Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon presents a flavor of sweet, smooth fruit sweetness, obvious nutty flavor, balanced and gentle acidity, a faint and clean bitterness, and contains rich chocolate aroma and nutty flavor, with a bright and refreshing mouthfeel.

Front Street. Brazil Queen Estate Natural Yellow Bourbon

Region: Mogiana, Brazil

Estate: Queen Estate

Altitude: 1400-1950 meters

Variety: Yellow Bourbon

Processing method: Natural

Caturra

Caturra is a single-gene mutation of Bourbon, discovered by people in Brazil in 1937. Its productivity and disease resistance are both better than Bourbon, and the tree is shorter, making harvesting easier. Unfortunately, like Bourbon, it has a biennial cycle of fluctuating productivity. However, its flavor is comparable to Bourbon beans, and more importantly, its adaptability is extremely strong and it does not need shade trees, so it is also called Sun Coffee. It can adapt to high-density planting, but requires more fertilizer, increasing costs, so early coffee farmers did not readily accept it.

As bean prices rose sharply in the 1970s, farmers switched to planting Caturra to increase yields. With vigorous promotion by the Brazilian and Colombian authorities, the results were abundant. Farmers began planting Caturra across the board. By 1990, one million hectares of coffee-growing area could harvest 14 million bags of coffee beans, increasing productivity by 60%, making Caturra very popular in Central American countries.

Caturra is suitable for planting from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters. Its adaptability is very strong, but the higher the altitude, the better the flavor, and the yield will relatively decrease. Caturra has a mouthfeel full of fruity tonality and berry flavors. Recommended: Front Street Colombia Huila Washed Caturra, containing rich chocolate aroma and nutty flavor, balanced and gentle acidity, with a faint and clean bitterness.

Mundo Novo

Mundo Novo is the result of natural hybridization between Bourbon and Sumatra Typica, first discovered in 1943 in Tietê, São Paulo, Brazil. Mundo Novo was initially planted in the city of Novo Mundo, which is now Urupês.

Catuai

Catuai is a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra, one could say a second-generation hybrid. It inherited the advantage of Caturra's low tree height and also made up for Arabica's weakness of fragile fruit. The fruit holds firmly and is not easy to drop when strong winds blow. The greatest regret is that its overall flavor is slightly more monotonous than Caturra. Catuai also has red-fruit and yellow-fruit types, and red fruit wins awards more often than yellow fruit. Catuai, Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Bourbon are ranked together as Brazil's four major coffee varieties.

In 1949, it was bred by crossing Yellow Caturra (a Bourbon mutation) C476-11 and Mundo Novo (Typica x Bourbon) CP 374-19. It was released in 1972 after Brazilian pedigree selection (continuous single-plant generation selection). It has red and yellow fruits, and there is also a green variety Ouro Verde. It has high acidity, and when the yellow beans cool, they have an impure, petroleum-like mouthfeel. There are many excellent selections in different countries. In Honduras, Catuai accounts for nearly half of the planted area. IHCAFE researchers are actively seeking improvements to Catuai, including hybrid combinations between Catuai and Timor. In Costa Rica, Catuai is also very important; yellow-fruit Catuai has been widely planted since its release in 1985. In 1970, Catuai was introduced to Guatemala, and now accounts for about 20% of the country's production. Catuai is hardly cultivated in other Central American countries.

Catuai has a smooth body and a soft, water-like warmth when it goes down the throat. The aftertaste changes delicately, with orange fruit sweetness, tropical fruit, raspberry, maple syrup sweetness, juicy feel, a faint wine aroma, white bitter melon, baked cookie aroma, caramel, vanilla, and an elegant, delicate finish, with a long, multi-layered mouthfeel.

Front Street Costa Rica Canet Estate Musician Series Mozart

Region: Tarrazu, Costa Rica

Estate: Canet Estate

Altitude: 1980 meters

Variety: Caturra, Catuai

Processing method: Raisin anaerobic honey processing

Timor

A naturally hybridized variety discovered on the island nation at the eastern end of the Lesser Sunda Islands—East Timor. It has 44 chromosomes and is relatively close to Arabica; however, its flavor is plain and unremarkable. Timor has low acidity and lacks distinctive features, and it is often used to make low-cost blend beans. But East Timor also has high-altitude purebred washed Typica. Before purchasing, be sure to first clarify whether it is a hybrid or purebred washed Typica, as the quality of the two differs greatly: the former is plain and unremarkable, while the latter is stunningly outstanding.

Catimor

In 1959, the Portuguese crossed Brazilian Caturra with Timor and cultivated Catimor, a second-generation hybrid with extremely strong disease resistance and productivity. But its flavor is also relatively poor, and it is currently an important variety of commercial beans. In order to improve the poor reputation of Catimor in cupping, in recent years botanists from various countries have again turned back to cross Arabica with Catimor over multiple generations, attempting to reduce its Robusta lineage.

Front Street Yunnan Arabica Coffee

Region: Baoshan, Yunnan

Altitude: 1200 meters

Variety: Catimor

Processing method: Washed

Geisha

Geisha is a Typica tree species originating from Geisha Mountain in Ethiopia. In 1963, Don Pachi (known as the father of Panama Geisha) introduced it to Panama from Costa Rica, but because of its low productivity, no farmer was willing to plant it. Daniel Peterson unexpectedly discovered this coffee on his own farm, Esmeralda Special Estate, and since 2004 it has dominated major international cupping competitions year after year, making it arguably the hottest coffee variety. Its rich citrus notes, floral fragrance, and toffee aroma captivate everyone. Panama is the main country producing Geisha coffee.

Geisha is a mutated seedling descendant of the native Arabica species originating in the Gesha region of Ethiopia. Its beans are relatively large. It is a coffee variety unique to Panama, and in recent years it has shone brilliantly in specialty coffee. In just a few short years on the market, it has been called the queen of specialty coffee. Geisha had already appeared in Panama as early as 1960, and many cultivation institutions in Panama also had many Geisha seeds. In fact, Geisha was discovered in 1931 in Gesha in southwestern Ethiopia, where it had many different local names. In 1931 and 1932, it was imported into Kenya under the names Abyssinian and Geisha respectively. In 1936, Kenya took the harvested Geisha seeds to Uganda and Tanzania for planting. In July 1953, Tanzania sent descendant trees to Costa Rica, while keeping the mother tree in its own country. In 1960, through CATIE (Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Education), Panama officially cultivated Geisha.

The Geisha tree is slender and tall (can reach 4.5 meters), with spreading branches and leaves. The leaves are long, green and red, and the tree fruits late. It is resistant to leaf rust, and susceptible to berry disease and nematodes. The fruit is small to medium, and the yield is below average. Panama Geisha has a very unique flavor; it can be a dinner coffee, refined, with the body of black tea and bergamot flavor. When Geisha blooms, it also carries a combination of white peach and melon. Beans produced at high altitudes have a fine aroma, a sweet and clean finish with distinctive character, jasmine floral notes and peach aroma, bright fruit acidity like guava, mango, and papaya, and a very smooth mouthfeel. Its characteristics can rival Ethiopian washed beans. However, its flavor changes drastically in different cultivation areas; to maintain its characteristics, it can only be planted on slopes at 1200 meters.

Front Street Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha

Region: Boquete, Panama

Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda, Veil

Altitude: 1600-1800 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing method: Natural

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