There are 4 major commercially cultivated types of coffee beans: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa.  Global coffee cultivation is dominated by the first two heavy hitters – Arabica and Robusta while Liberica and Excelsa have a very small share of global output. Within these four bean types, there are above 120 subvarieties – that are … Read more

If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve probably heard about the mythical Maragogipe (or Maragogype) coffee variety. Maragogipe coffee variety is a natural mutation of the popular Typica coffee plant from the Coffea Arabica family. It produces gigantic coffee beans that can be more than twice the size of regular beans! For this reason, Maragogipe beans … Read more

In the coffee world, where each bean tells a tale of its origin, SL 28 and SL34 from the Coffea Arabica Family stand out as charismatic characters with roots tracing back to rich Kenyan Soil. SL varieties were first developed in the 1930s at the Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya. Researchers were looking for disease-resistant, … Read more

For over four decades, the high-yielding Cataui variety has sustained coffee production across Central and South America. This unassuming coffee variety pumps out bountiful harvests year after year. Though it doesn’t have the prestige of heirloom Bourbons or Geishas, Cataui’s hardy productivity has become a lifeline for many smallholder farms.  Cataui literally means “Very good” … Read more

Boasting high yields and hardy resilience, the commercial powerhouse Caturra Coffee has become one of the world’s most widely cultivated coffee varieties.  Caturra is a natural mutation of the Bourbon Coffee variety from the Coffea Arabica family that originated in Brazil in the early 20th century. Unlike its parent variety which is prized for exceptional … Read more

Hailed as a valuable cultivar in the battle against coffee leaf rust, the high-yielding Catimor variety also carries a stigma for producing an inferior cup.  Catimor Coffee Cultivar was bred by crossing hearty, disease-resistant Timor plants with high-quality but susceptible Arabica-Bourbon varietal Caturra. The result is a rugged, compact bush that pumps out bountiful, rust-resistant … Read more

Pacamara Coffee Varietal is made from Borbon-Typica hybridization, part of the Coffea Arabica Family. Its origins can be traced to a cross between two older varieties – Pacas and Maragogipe.  If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve probably heard whispers of a varietal called Pacamara making waves in specialty coffee circles.  Pacamara coffee beans offer exceptional … Read more

Bourbon is one of the most widely grown and popular Arabica cultivars known for its balanced cup profile bursting with sweet, chocolatey undertones. Many other arabica varieties like Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Catuai were derived as mutations or hybrids of the original Bourbon cultivar. With its rich history intertwined with Reunion Island’s complex past, Bourbon … Read more

Hailed as the “best varietal of Arabica Coffee,” Typica beans originate from Yemen and were first cultivated in India and the volcanic slopes of Java in the 17th century. Typica beans are vulnerable to disease and have lower yields, but produce a well-balanced cup with spicy notes, making them the gold standard for specialty coffee. … Read more

Liberica coffee is one of the four main coffee varieties – Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. It is mainly grown in the Philippines and Malaysia and makes up just 1-2% of global coffee production. Key Takeaways In this article, I’ll sum up everything I’ve uncovered about fascinating Liberica coffee. I’ll explore Liberica’s origins, ideal growing … Read more