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Coffee Beans & Varieties

From species to roast level, understand the 23 building blocks of every cup.

Diagram of anaerobic fermentation coffee processing in sealed tanks
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Anaerobic Fermentation

Anaerobic fermentation involves sealing coffee cherries or parchment in airtight tanks or barrels, creating an oxygen-free environment. This controlled fermentation produces unique, intensely flavored coffees with funky, boozy, or tropical notes.

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Species

The four main coffee species

Botanical illustration of Coffea arabica plant with cherries, flowers, leaves, and bean cross-section

Arabica

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Coffea arabica accounts for about 60-70% of global coffee production. Known for its smooth, complex flavor profile and lower caffeine content compared to Robusta. Arabica plants are more delicate, requiring specific altitude and climate conditions to thrive.

Botanical illustration of Coffea excelsa with tart fruit-like cherries and almond-shaped beans

Excelsa

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Recently reclassified as a variety of Liberica, Excelsa grows primarily in Southeast Asia and accounts for about 7% of world coffee production. It has a complex, tart flavor profile often used in blends to add depth and complexity.

Botanical illustration of Coffea liberica with large asymmetric leaves and oversized cherries

Liberica

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Coffea liberica is a rare coffee species with large, asymmetric beans. It has a unique flavor profile that can be polarizing - some describe it as floral and fruity, others as woody and smoky. Liberica accounts for less than 2% of world coffee production.

Botanical illustration of Coffea canephora (Robusta) plant with round beans and cherry clusters

Robusta

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Coffea canephora, commonly called Robusta, is the second most popular coffee species. It has nearly double the caffeine of Arabica, a stronger and harsher taste, and is more resistant to pests and diseases. Often used in espresso blends for body and crema.

Arabica Varieties

The cultivars that define specialty coffee

Botanical illustration of Bourbon coffee variety with dense round cherry clusters

Bourbon

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Bourbon is a natural mutation of Typica that originated on the island of Reunion (formerly Bourbon). It produces about 20-30% more fruit than Typica and is known for its sweet, complex flavor. Red and Yellow Bourbon are the most common sub-varieties.

Botanical illustration of Catuai coffee variety, hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra

Catuai

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Catuai is a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra, developed in Brazil in the 1950s. It is a compact, high-yielding variety resistant to wind and rain. The cup profile tends to be sweet with moderate acidity.

Botanical illustration of Caturra coffee variety, compact dwarf mutation of Bourbon

Caturra

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Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon discovered in Brazil in the 1930s. It is a compact, high-yielding plant that produces bright, lemony cups with light body. Popular in Central and South America.

Botanical illustration of Ethiopian Heirloom coffee varieties from wild forest origins

Ethiopian Heirloom

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Ethiopian Heirloom is a collective term for the thousands of wild and semi-wild arabica varieties native to Ethiopia. These genetically diverse plants produce some of the most complex and distinctive coffee flavors in the world.

Botanical illustration of Gesha (Geisha) coffee variety with elongated leaves and prized beans

Gesha (Geisha)

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Gesha is considered by many to be the finest coffee variety in the world. Originally from the Gesha village in Ethiopia, it gained fame in 2004 when a Panamanian farm's Gesha won a competition with unprecedented scores. Characterized by jasmine-like aromatics and complex fruit flavors.

Botanical illustration of Maragogype elephant bean variety with oversized beans

Maragogype

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Maragogype (also called Elephant Bean) is a Typica mutation discovered in Maragogipe, Brazil. Known for its exceptionally large beans, it produces a smooth, mild cup with low acidity. Yields are low but beans command premium prices.

Botanical illustration of Pacamara coffee variety, hybrid of Pacas and Maragogype

Pacamara

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Pacamara is a hybrid of Pacas and Maragogype created in El Salvador in 1958. It has extremely large beans and produces complex cups with floral aromatics, creamy body, and citrus acidity. Considered a specialty variety.

Botanical illustration of SL-28 coffee variety from Kenya with large cherries

SL-28

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SL-28 was developed by Scott Laboratories in Kenya in the 1930s. It is prized for its complex citrus acidity, deep berry and stone fruit flavors, and heavy body. SL-28 is drought-resistant but susceptible to coffee berry disease.

Botanical illustration of SL-34 coffee variety, vigorous Kenyan selection

SL-34

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SL-34, also developed by Scott Laboratories in Kenya, is a high-yielding variety adapted to high altitudes. It produces a heavy-bodied cup with bright citrus acidity and complex flavors similar to SL-28.

Botanical illustration of Typica coffee variety, the original Arabica cultivar

Typica

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Typica is one of the most culturally important arabica varieties and the genetic base for many other cultivars. It produces a clean, sweet cup with good acidity. Typica plants have relatively low yields but are prized for quality.

Processing Methods

How the cherry becomes the bean

Diagram of honey coffee processing method showing mucilage levels from white to black honey

Honey Process

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Honey processing is a hybrid method where some or all of the mucilage (honey-like sticky layer) is left on the bean during drying. The amount left determines the color classification: white, yellow, red, or black honey. This produces sweet, complex cups.

Diagram of natural dry coffee processing method showing cherry drying stages

Natural (Dry Process)

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Natural processing is the oldest method - whole coffee cherries are dried in the sun on raised beds or patios. The fruit ferments around the bean during drying, imparting fruity and wine-like flavors. When done well, natural coffees are intensely flavorful.

Diagram of washed wet coffee processing method showing depulping and fermentation stages

Washed (Wet Process)

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In washed processing, the coffee cherry's fruit is fully removed before drying. The beans are fermented in water tanks to break down the remaining mucilage, then washed clean. This produces the cleanest-tasting coffee with bright acidity and clear origin character.

Diagram of wet-hulled Giling Basah Indonesian coffee processing method

Wet-Hulled (Giling Basah)

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Wet-hulling is a processing method unique to Indonesia. Parchment coffee is hulled while still wet (at ~30-35% moisture), giving the beans their distinctive dark blue-green color and producing heavy-bodied cups with low acidity and earthy, herbal flavors.

Roast Levels

From light to dark, how heat transforms flavor

Diagram of dark roast coffee bean with visible surface oils and bold smoky character

Dark Roast

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Dark roast coffee is roasted to 464F+ (240C+), well into or past second crack. The beans are oily and dark brown to nearly black. Origin character is replaced by roast character: smoky, bitter, and bold. The sugars are fully caramelized or carbonized.

Diagram of light roast coffee bean at first crack showing preserved origin flavors

Light Roast

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Light roast coffee is roasted to an internal temperature of 356-401F (180-205C), typically stopped at or just after first crack. The beans retain most of their original character, producing bright, acidic cups with distinct origin flavors. The lightest roasts may taste tea-like or grain-like.

Diagram of medium roast coffee bean showing balanced sweetness and body

Medium Roast

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Medium roast coffee reaches 410-428F (210-220C) internally, between first and second crack. This is the most popular roast level worldwide, balancing origin character with roast sweetness. Medium roasts have moderate acidity, fuller body, and caramel notes.

Diagram of medium-dark roast coffee bean with oils beginning to surface

Medium-Dark Roast

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Medium-dark roasts reach 437-446F (225-230C), at or just into second crack. The beans begin to show oil on the surface. These roasts have richer, darker flavors with bittersweet chocolate and spice notes, lower acidity, and heavier body.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta?▼
Arabica (Coffea arabica) produces 60-70% of the world's coffee and is prized for its complex, sweet, acidic flavor profile. Robusta (Coffea canephora) has nearly double the caffeine, a harsher and more bitter taste, and higher crop yields. Robusta is cheaper to grow, more disease-resistant, and commonly used in instant coffee and espresso blends for crema and body.
What does "single origin" mean?▼
Single origin means the coffee comes from one specific country, region, or farm. It contrasts with blends, which combine beans from multiple sources. Single origin coffees are valued for expressing the terroir of a specific place -- Ethiopian Yirgacheffe tastes distinctly different from Colombian Huila. The term has no legal definition, so specificity varies from country-level to single-lot.
What is coffee processing and why does it matter?▼
Processing is how the coffee cherry is turned into a green bean after picking. The three main methods are washed (fruit removed before drying, clean bright flavor), natural (dried whole, fruity and fermented notes), and honey (partial fruit removal, sweetness between the two). Processing affects flavor as much as origin or variety -- the same bean processed differently tastes like two different coffees.
What is Gesha coffee and why is it expensive?▼
Gesha (also spelled Geisha) is an Arabica variety originally from the Gesha forest in Ethiopia. It became famous after a Panamanian farm, Hacienda La Esmeralda, won a best-of-Panama competition with it in 2004. Gesha is prized for intense jasmine, bergamot, and tropical fruit flavors. It commands $50-200+ per pound because the trees produce low yields and demand at auction is fierce.
Does roast level change caffeine content?▼
Barely. Dark roast beans weigh less individually (they lose moisture), so if you measure by weight, dark roast has slightly more caffeine per gram. If you measure by bean count or scoop volume, light roast has slightly more. The difference is under 10% either way. Brewing method and dose affect caffeine far more than roast level.

Researched and compiled by CoffeeTrove. Last updated March 2026.