Different types of coffee beans

There are four commercially grown species of coffee: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa. Arabica and Robusta account for almost everything sold worldwide, with Arabica making up roughly 60 to 70 percent of global production and Robusta most of the rest.

Species is the first thing that shapes how your coffee tastes, before roast level, before origin and long before brewing method. Understanding the four types of coffee beans tells you a great deal about what to expect in the cup.

Arabica vs Robusta: what is the difference

Arabica is sweeter, more complex and lighter bodied. Robusta is bolder, earthier and carries roughly twice the caffeine. Those two account for almost all coffee sold, so this is the comparison that matters most.

Neither is simply better. They are built for different jobs, and most espresso blends use both precisely because the combination does something neither manages alone.

What is Arabica coffee

Arabica is the species behind almost all specialty coffee, prized for subtle, delicate, clean cup qualities that other species cannot match.

It originated in Ethiopia and grows best at higher altitudes, where cooler temperatures slow the cherry's development and concentrate sugars and acids in the seed. That slow growth is where the complexity comes from, and it is also why Arabica is harder and more expensive to farm.

Expect sweetness, brightness and a wide flavour range depending on origin and processing. Floral and citrus notes are common in East African Arabicas, chocolate and nut notes in South American and Indian ones. Arabica also carries roughly half the caffeine of Robusta, which is part of why it tastes less harsh.

It suits filter brewing particularly well, where a clean method lets the nuances come through. Pour over is the classic pairing.

What is Robusta coffee

Robusta is bolder, heavier bodied and earthier than Arabica, with a bittersweet finish and around twice the caffeine.

The name describes the plant. Robusta grows at lower altitudes in warmer climates, resists disease far better and yields more per tree, which makes it cheaper to produce. Higher caffeine content is part of that resilience, since caffeine is a natural pest deterrent.

In the cup, Robusta gives you weight and a thick, persistent crema, which is exactly why traditional Italian espresso blends include it. Adding Robusta to an Arabica base means the coffee holds its character even after milk and sugar go in, which is why it works so well for cappuccinos and lattes.

Indian coffee has a particular relationship with Robusta. Some of the world's best regarded Robusta comes from Karnataka and Kerala, and quality Indian Robusta bears little resemblance to the commodity grade used in cheap instant coffee.

What is Liberica coffee

Liberica accounts for well under two percent of global coffee production, grown mainly in the Philippines and Malaysia.

The tree is unusual, reaching 10 to 15 feet, and the beans are noticeably larger and more irregularly shaped than Arabica or Robusta. The flavour sits somewhere between the two, with earthiness and a sweet finish, plus a smoky, woody, sometimes floral character that people either love or find strange.

You will rarely find it outside the regions that grow it, and when you do it is usually as a curiosity rather than a daily drinker.

What is Excelsa coffee

Excelsa is now classified as a variety of Liberica rather than a separate species, though it is still widely sold under its own name and tastes quite different.

It grows mainly in Southeast Asia and produces a tart, fruity cup with light roast characteristics even when roasted darker. Blenders use it in small proportions to add complexity and a sharper edge to the middle of a blend. Like Liberica, it makes up a tiny fraction of world production.

Which coffee bean should you buy

Buy Arabica if you drink your coffee black and want to taste origin character. Buy a blend with Robusta if you drink espresso, especially with milk.

That is the short version, and it holds for most people. If you brew filter or use a French press, a single origin Arabica gives you the clarity those methods are good at showing off. If you pull espresso and drink it as a cappuccino or latte, an Arabica and Robusta blend produces better crema and cuts through milk far more cleanly.

The espresso coffee beans range is selected for exactly that job, and the wider coffee beans collection covers Indian estate coffees from Ratnagiri and Siolim, roasters like Maverick & Farmer, Corridor Seven and Genetics Coffee, and the SB Famous House Blend.

Species is only the first decision

Once you have picked from the types of coffee beans above, three more things shape the cup, and all of them can matter more than the species itself.

Processing. Washed coffees taste cleaner and brighter, naturals taste fruitier and heavier, and honey processed sits between the two. The same Arabica can taste dramatically different across these.

Roast level. Light roasts keep origin character and acidity, dark roasts trade that for body and bitterness, and medium sits in the middle. Milk based drinks generally want medium or darker.

Freshness. Coffee is best between seven and twenty one days off roast and noticeably tired past a month, whatever the species. Buy bags with a roast date, and grind fresh with a burr grinder rather than buying pre ground.

Once the beans are picked, roasters blend and roast them to suit different palates, which is why two bags of the same species from different roasters can taste nothing alike. If you want to go deeper into the theory, SB Coffeepedia covers roasting, processing and brewing in more detail.