The Best Arabica Coffee Beans in the World
Many people are unaware that coffee beans sold at the supermarket or in your favorite cafe aren't all arabica. This type of bean grows best in regions that have high altitudes. It produces smoother and sweeter flavor.
The terroir (or place of origin) of the coffee beans can have a huge impact on the taste. This is why single-origin arabicas are extremely sought-after.
1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
It is renowned for its citrus and floral scents The coffee is an iconic. The premium beans are grown on small farms that are located in the Oromia Region (formerly Harrar), at altitudes of between 1,400 and 2200 meters. The natural process produces a berry-like flavor and a sweet taste.
The elevations high in Yirgacheffe allows the coffee plants to grow more slowly, allowing them to absorb the subtleties and flavors of the surrounding environment. The region also has a rich tropical climate that is ideal for the cultivation of coffee.
This coffee is available in green beans that have not been roasted. They are perfect for roasters who wish to reveal the true essence. Light to medium roasts bring out the citrus, wine and the berry flavor. This coffee is a great match for desserts like lemon pound cake and chocolate. The coffee's floral and herbal notes go well with spicy or sour meals.
2. Colombian Supremo
Colombian Supremo, a coffee that is known for its consistency in flavor and quality is a popular choice for coffee lovers of all levels. Supremo beans are known for their smooth, classic flavor with notes of citrus and caramel.
Bean size plays a crucial factor in the flavor profile of Colombian coffee and Supremo beans are distinguished by their large size. This bigger size means that the beans typically go through Grade 14 (or higher) perforations on the sieve that are lower than the grade of Excelso.
With strict quality standards, a dazzling acidity, and a moderately smoky body, Colombian Supremo has a universal appeal that makes it a great choice for any brewing method. This particular coffee from the Popayan region is cultivated by farmers who are members of the Colombian Coffee Federation, an organization that provides support to more than 500,000 coffee farmers. As such, this coffee is an excellent example of the high-quality Colombian beans that have earned the country a reputation for its world-class 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 among the most sought-after 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 production of top quality. The beans from this small region are highly sought-after and fetch a premium price because of their rarity.
The name implies that Jamaican Blue Mountain is grown in the Blue Mountain district, a stretch of 6,000 acres on the island that's known for its stunning natural beauty and coffee cultivation. The area is protected by a national park and farmers cultivate small amounts coffee with careful attention to preserve their unique characteristics.
4. Costa Rican Tarrazu
A coffee lover's desire, Costa Rican Tarrazu is the perfect balance of body and acidity. The high altitudes of the region, as well as the volcanic soil that is mineral-rich allows for a more gradual ripening process, allowing the beans to get their full flavor.
Many of these farms are also recognized for their environmentally-friendly practices and strict measures to control quality, which makes them popular with eco-conscious consumers. Some also offer traceability, which allows customers to know more about the farm that produced their coffee.
One World Roasters' Tarrazu is a prime example of the region's characteristic flavor profile, displaying aromas of vibrant grapefruit and rich dark chocolate. Its medium-bodied body is well-rounded and balanced with a smooth finish that's sure to please your taste buds.
5. Colombian Caturra
Caturra is a coffee cultivar that has earned a name for itself in Latin America. This variety was introduced to Brazil as a natural change from Bourbon. Its production potential was superior to Bourbon however it required higher altitudes, which resulted in lower yields. The method of mass selection was employed to identify parent plants that performed exceptionally well. Bulk seeds from these parents were then produced and the process was repeated.
Colombian Caturra is a yield-producing plant with exceptional resistance to Coffee Leaf Rust. It is one of the two parents of the Castillo, which was developed by Cenicafe to be the flag plant of their "Colombia sin roya", a program aimed at recovering coffee production in Colombia.
This heirloom Caturra is cultivated at 2,000m by farmers in Urrao and was roast by Camber Coffee. The cup quality is a lively acidity that is flavored with citrus, watermelon, and strawberry.
6. French Roast
French Roast is a strong cup of coffee with smokey, charred notes. This blend is a mixture of arabica beans from several regions that provide rich flavors such as chocolate and caramel. The beans are darkly roasted to enhance their natural oils and flavor. This blend is of premium quality and will please the most sophisticated taste buds.
These beans are more difficult than other coffee varieties to grow because they require very specific conditions for their growth. The plants require a particular amount of sunlight and rain and must be protected from frost and drought.
Drinking coffee made of these beans can increase your energy levels and improve your health. These beans contain antioxidants that fight free radicals which can trigger chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Moreover these beans are a source of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid, which is vital 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 introduced to Panama by the 1960s where it quickly gained a reputation for its floral aromas, full-bodied flavor and delicate acidity.
Geisha is a costly coffee variety. It's susceptible to disease and requires high altitudes to grow. The yield of the fruit is also lower. These factors make it difficult to make consistently, which combines with its high scores on the cup to drive up the price.
This particular batch of Gesha was processed with honey (not honey itself but the beans are treated and dipped in water that contains sugar) and then placed on a marquee for drying for 96 hrs through carbonic maceration. This unique process adds to the complexity and flavor of this coffee. high grown arabica coffee beans has a complex, yet balanced cup profile that is bursting with exotic florals such as tea rose, jasmine and delicate stone fruits, citrus and citrus.
8. Indonesian Liberica
Coffee lovers are mostly familiar with two species belonging to the Coffea genus: arabica and robusta. The former accounts for the majority of coffee traded in the world, whereas the latter only accounts for 20 percent. There are more than 120 species in the genus and some are less well-known than others.
The most favored non-arabica in the world is Coffea Excelsa (or the variant. dewevrei). This variety is found on large trees at medium altitudes and produces a teardrop-shaped bean. It is commonly used in blends and can add a distinct lingering finish to a cup.
It's not as well-known in Southeast Asia as arabica but it is still a niche market. This is due to the religious demands for coffee, since Muslims in Malaysia & Indonesia drink coffee following their prayers. Liberica's resistance to rust on coffee leaves and its low caffeine content make it a viable alternative for producers that don't have the financial resources 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 due to the asymmetrical bean size that is bigger than arabica or canephora. It also has a longer period of fruiting, and its leaves are larger than other C. liberica varieties. Additionally, its high productivity levels means that it can grow to more than 15m tall and produce a large amount of fruit.
According to Oliveiro the reason is that the plant has been misunderstood for so long - even though it was reclassified as the dewevrei variety of liberica in 2006 - because it is "a very good coffee maker". It's unlikely that the species will be switched to a coffee that is a commodity with no market. For those who are willing and are able to put in the time and effort to grow it, the benefits of excelsa beans are clear. They tend to be lower in caffeine than arabica or canephora, and also have a more dense more soluble mucus.