Coffee varieties Arabica Coffee varieties Abstract what are the main varieties of fine coffee

Coffee can be divided into three main varieties, namely, Arabica (Coffea arabica), Robusta Coffea canephora (Robusta) and Liberia (Coffea liberica). Arabica is the main force of boutique coffee, suitable for growing at higher elevations, tastes better, is also more delicate, needs care, and is the smallest of the three, so it is also known as small fruit coffee. Robusta, also known as medium fruit coffee, can grow at a lower altitude, high yield, plain flavor, usually used for commercial purposes, only a very small number of Robusta have the level of boutique. The fruit of Leibiria is super large, called big fruit coffee, which has the ability to resist leaf embroidery disease, which is rare on the market at present.

Varieties and cultivated species

It is speculated that there are thousands to tens of thousands of naturally occurring varieties (Variety) in Arabica, mainly in Ethiopia; at the same time, there are also many artificially screened and cultivated species (Cultivar), which can be thought of as the many branches under Arabica, the former naturally occurring and the latter artificially cultivated for a long time.

Native species Heirloom

Generally speaking, farmers may grow more than one variety at the same time, or they may pick out the better varieties for sale. What is more special is Ethiopia. In this country, coffee is mostly wild or semi-wild, growing in fields, backyards, or under forests. What farmers receive is actually a large platter of many different natural varieties, so Yi coffee beans are usually marked as native or Heirloom.

Wild coffee trees like to grow at the bottom of the forest. The species that can shade coffee are called shade trees (Shade Tree, or Shadow Tree), and such planting methods are called shade coffee (Shade-grown Coffee). The advantage is that it can reduce the impact on the ecology, and a variety of organisms will also help to suppress diseases and insect pests. In some areas, bananas and other local food crops are used to shade coffee.

Common diseases and insect pests

It takes about four or five years for coffee trees to plant seedlings and begin to have a steady harvest. Many Arabica varieties with good flavor do not have strong disease resistance. Therefore, coffee is actually a crop that is not easy to take care of. Common diseases and insect pests are:

1. Coffee bark beetle (Coffee Berry Borer), which lays eggs in the fruit, is difficult to control.

two。 Leaf rust (Leaf Rust), which has sharply reduced production in Central and South America in recent years, is a serious challenge for serious leaf rust that needs to be cut down and replanted.

3.Coffee Berry Disease, which currently appears in Africa, will directly blacken and spoil the fruit

Arabica variety differences, the degree of impact on flavor, some people will take a reserved attitude, because there is no extensive related research. Variety is not the only factor that affects the flavor, such as the local soil of the place of origin, the depth of the baking degree, the size of the grinding particles, the method of cooking, and so on. However, there are some varieties that are recognized to have better performance. At the beginning, we introduce several common Arabica:

Tibica Typica

Most of the Arabica used for commercial cultivation today can be traced back to Tibica. Characterized by young leaves as dark green as bronze, Tibika is generally considered to have a good flavor, but its unit yield is very low.

In the 17th century, the Netherlands brought coffee trees back to Europe from the leaves and began to grow them commercially in Asian colonies, breaking the coffee trade market monopolized by Arabs. Some of the coffee trees were given as a gift to French Emperor Louis XIV and locked in the heavily guarded Royal Botanical Garden.

In 1723, a brave French captain, Gabriel de Clieu, broke through many hurdles and successfully took one of them to a small island in the Caribbean and planted it, and because Arabica could self-pollinate, it was able to produce offspring and gradually spread to other places. This magical mother tree is called "The Noble Tree" in history, and its offspring is the so-called Tibica.

Rose summer Gesha

In recent years, the most famous "Gesha, or Geisha", originated in Mount Rosa in Ethiopia, is also translated as coffee for summer or geisha. After being introduced into Panama, it was once forgotten and re-excavated around 2000. It has an amazing flavor, and the fragrance of flowers is intertwined with a variety of sweet and sour fruit flavors. It is a bright legend at the end of the century.

Bourbon Burbon

The French island of Reunion was called Bourbon before 1789. At the beginning of the 18th century, the French cut branches and propagated Tibica here, and finally produced bourbon through continuous breeding, which is another important mother source of Arabica and an old variety that many people like. The characteristic is that if you grow up in different places, there will be obvious differences in flavor.

Kaddura Caturra

The natural mutant of bourbon originated in Brazil. Because of its many lateral branches and dense fruit, it has high yield, low plant and good flavor, so it is a favorite variety for both farmers and consumers.

Katuai Catuai

Cultivated species cultivated in Brazil in the 1950s. "Catuai" means "very good" in the local aboriginal language. The plant is small but strong, can withstand drought, heavy rain and strong winds, and has a high yield, mainly found in Central and South America. Bourbon, Kaddura and Katuai are available in both yellow and red versions.

SL-28 & SL-34

In the 1930s, Scott Labs was commissioned by the Kenyan government to select the varieties suitable for the country. After numbering and screening one by one, SL-28 and SL-34 were finally obtained, both of which originated from bourbon, and SL-34 can grow in areas with lower elevations.

It turns out that the former is highly rated, usually with blackcurrant-like acidity and complex flavor, while the latter is slightly inferior, but also has an eye-catching fruit flavor. These two varieties, which currently account for 90% of Kenya's production, are generally recognized as representatives of Kenyan coffee.

Elephant bean Maragogype

First found in northern Brazil, plants, leaves and even coffee beans are larger than the average Arabica. The fruit is large and the relative yield is less. It is also called "The Elephant Bean" in English.

Ruyilu National Day holiday Ruiru 11

The hybrid, bred by the Kenyan Department of Agriculture, has a name that looks like an artificial man. Combining the characteristics of many different parents, across Arabica and Robusta, Ruilu 11 is resistant to leaf rust and Coffee Berry Disease, but is less popular because it is influenced by Robusta.