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Coffee Bean Species
and Varieties
Coffea evergreen bushes are what provide us the coffee
beans we grind and brew. The beans are grown in over
50 countries. Every year, the Coffee bush flowers and
develops a cherry-like fruit, inside which typically
produce two small seeds or coffee beans. The Coffea
bush has over 10 different species, the first being
discovered in Ethiopia thousands of years ago. When
the coffee bean was discovered, its cultivation and
use spread to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and
beyond. The majority of the coffee we drink today is
made from beans grown in Latin America, Western
Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines, and continental
southeastern Asia. There are two species of coffee
bean, which constitute more than 90% of the coffee
beans sold internationally. One is the Coffea Arabica
bean, and the other is Canaphora. Depending on the
region, species of coffee, roasting, and preparation,
coffee beans can infuse a cup of coffee with a variety
of flavors and textures.
Coffea Arabica seeds account for over 75% of the
coffee beans used to make this beverage. Arabica beans
are flavorful and contain less caffeine than the
Canephora beans. Coffea Arabica bushes are grown
principally in Western Africa and Latin America.
Different regions of these countries are known for
producing a different type of coffee bean; that is, a
coffee bean lending a different flavor when brewed.
These different region types are called varietals. The
climate, soil, weather, and particular plants and
seeds give regions their distinctive coffee bean
tastes. In Africa, Arabica bean cultivation can be
found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the northern
Muslim countries, among others. Ethiopian coffee beans
have an easy, smooth flavor and are delightfully
accented by floral notes. Kenyan coffees are also
smooth, but a bit tartier than Ethiopian beans. They
have a pleasantly fruity aftertaste, as does coffee
brewed from Tanzanian beans. These beans are a lovely
afternoon coffee, with a milder texture and flavor
than its northern counterparts.
A large variety of coffee bean flavors come from Latin
America. Coffee beans grown in Brazil lend coffee a
slightly bitter cocoa flavor with rich nutty
undertones. A favorite of many, Columbian coffee is
very rich and bold, a great morning coffee, with a
thick, dark texture and a walnut finish. Costa Rican
coffee beans are similar to Brazilian, but have a
lighter, sharper, almost tangy flavor. Mexico is also
a great producer of coffee beans. The beans here vary
in flavor and texture, from dry and light to thicker
and deeper in complexion and flavor. Although many of
the beans grown in Latin America are of the Arabica
variety, some regions grow Canephora bushes. Coffea
Canephora bush seeds have fewer oils, lesser
quantities, than Arabica beans do. Higher acidity and
less oil give coffees brewed from these beans a
slightly more bitter quality. Despite this, Canephora
is still a very popular coffee bean, used worldwide in
inexpensive, canned coffee blends and expensive
espresso roasts. Canephora beans typically have almost
50% more caffeine than Arabica beans.
Canephora beans are produced more in Asia than
Arabica. These varietals are known for having a more
acidic and bitter, although not unpleasant, flavor.
Most of the coffee beans we use come from island
nations in Asia, such as Sumatra and the island of
Komodo. Coffees brewed from these regional beans have
a full texture and a slightly acrid, herbal flavor.
Java and Kona varietals are especially popular and
make a wonderful morning coffee due to their earthy,
almost stringent quality.
Another factor that influences the taste of a coffee
bean or cup of coffee is roasting methods and final
preparation. The basic rule is the greater the amount
of time spent roasting, the darker, more full-bodied,
and flavorful a coffee will be. Although coffee beans
lose essential oils, and caffeine, during roasting
they also change chemically during this process, and
acquire new, different and flavorful oils. The darkest
roasts are known as Italian, French, Full City, City,
American, to name a few. French roasts are used to
make espresso, due to the high oil content and low
acidity. City roast is common in western United
States, and American roast is synonymous with eastern
cities, including New York and Boston. These coffees
are often produced using the drip method. In addition,
some people choose to us a French Press, which results
in a stronger flavor and oily texture. The other
method is by using an espresso machine to brew coffee,
as it lends the coffee a strong flavor, as well as
higher caffeine content.
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