The Best Arabica Coffee Beans in the World
Most people are unaware that the coffee beans you find in your favorite cafe or at the supermarket aren't arabica. This type of coffee bean grows best at higher altitudes and has a softer flavor.
Where the coffee beans grow (aka their terroir) has a major influence on how they taste. This is the reason why single-origin arabicas are so cherished.
1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
The coffee is known for its citrus and floral characteristics, this coffee is an iconic. The top quality beans are grown on small farms in the Oromia region (formerly Harrar) at altitudes ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 meters. The natural process gives the flavor of berries and a sweet taste.
The high elevations of Yirgacheffe allow the coffee plants to grow slower, which allows them to absorb the nuances and flavors of the surrounding area. The area also has a lush tropical climate that is perfect for growing coffee.
This coffee is available in green beans that haven't been roast. They are perfect for roasters who want to reveal the true essence. Light to medium roasts allow the berry, citrus and wine flavors to shine through. This coffee is great with desserts that compliment these flavors like lemon pound cake or chocolate. The herbal and floral notes go well with spicy or sour foods.
2. Colombian Supremo
Colombian Supremo, a coffee that is well-known for its consistency in taste and quality is a favorite for coffee lovers of all levels. Supremo beans are renowned for their classic, smooth taste with notes of caramel and citrus.
The size of the bean plays a significant factor in the flavor profile of Colombian coffee and Supremo beans are distinguished by their size. This bigger size means that the beans are more likely to be able to pass through Grade 14 (or higher) sieve perforations which is less than the grade of Excelso.
Colombian Supremo is a coffee with universal appeal. Its high-quality standards, bright acidity and moderately rich body make it a fantastic choice for any brewing method. This coffee is from the Popayan area is grown by farmers who are members of Colombian Coffee Federation. This association supports more than 500,000 coffee producers. This coffee is an excellent example of the premium Colombian beans which have been renowned for their top-quality coffees.
3. Jamaican Blue Mountain
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one of the most sought-after gourmet coffees in the world. Its rich, smooth taste makes it one of its most popular varieties. This wet-processed Jamaican Blue Mountains variety is known for its elegance and smoothness. It's also an essential ingredient in the coffee liquor Tia Maria.
The Blue Mountains, with their steep elevations, fertile soils mild climates and dense clouds make the perfect setting for coffee cultivation of the highest quality. The beans grown in this small region are highly prized and fetch high prices due to their rareness.
Like the name suggests, Jamaican Blue Mountain is grown in the Blue Mountain district, a stretch of 6,000 acres on the island that is known for its breathtaking natural beauty and coffee cultivation. The area is protected as National Park, and farmers cultivate small lots of coffee with meticulous care to preserve the distinct characteristics of the beans.
4. Costa Rican Tarrazu
A coffee lover's desire, Costa Rican Tarrazu is an ideal balance of body and acidity. The high altitudes of the region as well as the volcanic soil that is mineral-rich allow for a slower ripening process, allowing the beans to create their full flavor profile.
Many of these farms are also recognized for their environmentally-friendly practices and strict measures to maintain quality which makes them popular for eco-conscious buyers. Some of them provide traceability so that customers can know more about the farm that made their coffee.
One World Roasters' Tarrazu is a prime illustration of the region's distinctive flavor profile, with aromas of vibrant grapefruit and lush dark chocolate. Its medium-bodied body is well-balanced and well-rounded with a smooth finish that's sure to delight your taste buds.
5. Colombian Caturra
Caturra, a coffee cultivar has become an iconic name in Latin America. The variety was introduced to Brazil as a natural mutation from Bourbon. Its potential for production was superior to Bourbon however it required higher altitudes and lower yields. arabica coffee coffeee.uk of mass selection was used to identify parent plants that did exceptionally well. Bulk seeds from these parents were then produced and the process repeated.
Colombian Caturra has high yield and is resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust. It is one of the parents of the Castillo variety, developed by Cenicafe as the flag plant for their "Colombia sin roya" program that aims to revitalize and revive the production of coffee.
This vintage Caturra is cultivated at 2,000m by farmers in Urrao and was roasted by Camber Coffee. Its cup is lively with the flavors of watermelon, strawberry and citrus.
6. French Roast
Those looking for a bold cup of coffee with smoky and charred notes will love French Roast. This blend is a combination of arabica beans from different regions that have rich flavor like caramel and chocolate. The beans are darkly roasted to bring out their natural oils and flavor. This is a high-quality blend that will satisfy even the most sophisticated palate.
These beans are more difficult than other coffee varieties to cultivate because they require specific climate conditions to thrive. The plants require a certain amount sunshine and rain and they need to be protected against frost and drought.
Drinking coffee brewed from these beans can improve your energy levels and improve your health. The antioxidants found in these beans help fight free radicals which can cause chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Furthermore, these beans are also an excellent source of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid which is essential for the body to convert food into energy.
7. Ethiopian Gesha
Also known as Geisha or Gesha, this variety of coffee was first discovered in the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia in the 1930s. It was brought to Panama in the 1960s when it quickly gained fame for its floral aromas, full-bodied flavour and delicate acidity.
Geisha is among the most expensive varieties of coffee available on the market, as it's highly prone to disease and requires high elevations with a lower fruit yield. These characteristics make it difficult to consistently produce, which combines with its high cup scores to drive the price.
This particular Gesha lot was processed with honey. (Not actual honey, the beans were treated and then dipped into a sugar-based water.) The beans were then moved to a marquee and dried for 96 hours by carbonic maceration. This is a unique process that adds to the complexity of this extraordinary coffee. OMA is a complex but balanced cup profile with exotic florals such as jasmine, tea rose and delicate citrus and stone fruits. citrus.
8. Indonesian Liberica
The majority of coffee drinkers are familiar with two species of the Coffea family: arabica, and robusta. The former is responsible for 80% of world's coffee trade, whereas the latter accounts for 20 percent. There are more than 120 species in the genus, and some are less popular than others.
Currently, the most well-known non-arabica species is Coffea excelsa (or var. dewevrei). This variety grows on medium-sized trees at medium elevations and produces a teardrop shaped bean. It is often blended into blends and can add a distinctive lasting flavor to your drink.
It's not as popular in Southeast Asia as arabica but it has its own niche market. This is largely because of the demand generated by religion as Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia drink their coffee following prayers. Liberica's resistance to rusty coffee leaves and its low caffeine content make it an attractive alternative for producers who do not have the money to invest in arabica.
9. Brazilian Exelsa
While Excelsa is extremely durable and productive, it also requires more focus from farmers to manage than other Coffea arabica or canephora varieties. This is in part due to its asymmetrical bean which are larger than arabica and canephora. It has a longer time of fruiting and its leaves are bigger than other C. liberica species. Furthermore, its high production levels allow it to grow to over 15m tall and produce an enormous amount of fruit.
According to Oliveiro it's a pity that the plant has been misunderstood for so long - despite being reclassified as the dewevrei variety of liberica in 2006 - as it can be "a very good coffee producer". However, without a commodities market and a comparatively low demand for the species, the change is unlikely. For those who are willing and able to commit the time and effort to cultivate it, the benefits of excelsa beans are clear. They are less caffeine-rich than arabica or canephora, and have a thicker more soluble mucus.