Coffee Bean
Major Native Species
Coffee can be divided into three major native species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica (extremely low production and almost negligible).Of these three large varieties, Arabica coffee is the smallest grain species as shown in the figure below.
Arabica Beans(Specialty Coffee Varieties)
Arabica beans,the undoubted king of coffee,most of the Specialty Coffee bean are Arabica beans. Arabica coffee beans are known for their elegant acidity and rich aroma, and it accounts for the majority of the world's coffee production. Arabica beans usually have a bright fruit acid and floral scent that makes people feel like they are in a garden in the morning. Grown throughout Central and South America, East Africa and Asia, each producing Arabica beans has its own unique flavor.
Robusta Beans
Along with Arabica beans, Robusta beans are known as the two giants of the coffee world. It is favored by some coffee lovers for its high caffeine content and rich taste. Robusta bean has relatively low requirements for the growing environment, so it can grow under various climatic conditions, mainly produced in India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries and regions.
Varieties of Arabica Coffee Beans
As one of the most important coffee varieties, Arabica coffee beans have been cultivated and cultivated for a long time, and many varieties have been derived. Here are some common varieties of Arabica coffee beans:
Typica: The closest species to the native species, widely cultivated in Central and South America. They are long, have an excellent aroma and sour taste, have a low yield, are not tolerant to leaf rust, and require more shade, and can be harvested about once every two years.
Bourbon: Bourbon is a natural variant of the tin card, the beans are small and round, mostly clustered, and the Central Line is S-shaped. The same as the iron sheet card, the harvest is once every two years, and the output is not much, so it is gradually replaced by other varieties.
Caturra: Caturra is a mutant of Bourbon that was first discovered in Brazil. Kadura's coffee plants are shorter, have smaller beans, are highly productive and have excellent disease resistance, but also need to be harvested once every two years.
Catuai: Catuai is an artificial cross between Kadura and Mundo Novo. It inherits the advantages of the low body of the Kadura tree, but also makes up for the defects of the weak Kadura fruit without wind, the result is solid, and it is not easy to fall when the wind blows.
Maragogype (Maragogype) : tin card mutant species found in Brazil, beans are large in size and taste somewhat poor, but the appearance and sale are good, favored by some markets, and the tree is high so the yield is low.
Mundo Novo: The New World is a natural blend of bourbon and Sumatran ironhide, first found in Brazil. It has high environmental adaptability, resistance to pests and diseases, high yield, but the growth rate is slower, and the beans are larger.
Geisha: Geisha comes from the Geisha forest in Ethiopia and is known for its slender bean shape and its two-pointed, plump middle. Geisha coffee beans are characterized by delicate floral and citrus flavors.
SL28 & SL34: These two breeds are descendants of Bourbon and Ironcard bred in Kenya by Scott's laboratory in the 1930s. Both SL28 and SL34 are popular for their excellent flavor and high yield.
Catimor: Catimor is a hybrid of ironka and Robusta, bred by Portugal in East Timor. Catimor has inherited Robusta's disease resistance and is therefore more resistant to pests and insects.This variety inherits Robusta's disease resistance and yield, while also retaining some of the flavor characteristics of Arabica ,so it is a balanced coffee bean.
Yunnan Arabica Varieties
The main varieties of coffee grown in Yunnan province most widely grown is the Catimor variety. In addition, other Arabica varieties are also grown in Yunnan, such as Typica and Bourbon.Yunnan has also experimented with growing other specialty coffee varieties, such as Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai in recent years.