Coffee is almost everyone’s comfort food. Most of us love a soothing cup of hot coffee early morning to energize us for the day or maybe a chilled cup of iced coffee to cool us down after a workout. Nevertheless, coffee brings us comfort; it is soothing and can absolutely satisfy our taste buds.
But, have you ever wondered why coffee goes in different names? Do different types of coffee beans make different flavours?
Well, in this article we’re going to touch upon everything you need to know about coffee beans, so let’s dive in!
What are the different types of coffee beans?
There are four major types of coffee beans – Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa. Each type of coffee bean has a different percentage of caffeine in it and have taste variations as well.
Here’s what you should know about each type of coffee bean:
1. Arabica
Arabica coffee beans are those that are most produced (75%) in the world’s coffee production statistics and they are also known to be the most consumed as well. It is also one of the most highly priced type of coffee beans.
They have a caffeine content of 1.5%, which is the second most caffeinated type of coffee bean.
2. Robusta
The second most produced and consumed (20%) of coffee beans are Robusta beans. They have a sharp and bittery taste with a very earthy and wood-like aroma.
They have a caffeine content of 2.7%, which is the most caffeinated type of coffee bean grown.
3. Liberica
Around 2% (to 3%) of the world’s coffee production and consumption is of the coffee bean type called Liberica. They have metallic or woody taste, slightly bittery in nature. They have a caffeine content of 1.2% in them.
4. Excelsa
Similar to Liberica coffee beans, the Excelsa coffee beans also have a production and consumption percentage of around 2% (to 3%). These beans are known to have a hybrid type of taste, a combination of the flavors from the other beans. They have a caffeine content of 0.9% to 1.1% in them, which is the least caffeinated coffee bean among all types of coffee beans.
Are espresso coffee beans different from regular coffee beans?
Have you wondered how espresso coffee is got? Are the espresso beans different from regular coffee beans?
Well, espresso beans are not different beans. They are the same coffee beans, but only the way the coffee powder is prepared is different.
Coffee beans for espresso coffee are roasted for a longer time than regular coffee beans and at a higher temperature as well. This helps oil extraction from the beans, thus giving it a richer flavor which is more concentrated.
How to choose coffee beans for yourself?
Choosing the best coffee beans for yourself is not too hard. It all depends on how you like to have your coffee. Do you like it strong, medium or light? Do you like it in a single flavor or a blend of a few flavors?
If you wish to have your coffee strong, then you could choose Arabica coffee or Robusta coffee or a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee.
In case you like your coffee medium strong, you could go in for Liberica coffee or Excelsa coffee or a blend of both.
If you like mixed flavors, you can choose a blend of all four flavors.
What does “decaf” or decaffeinated coffee mean?
Decaf coffee is made from the regular types of coffee beans, but of through a process wherein the caffeine content is removed or extracted from the coffee bean.
However, even in decaf coffee, there will be at least a small percentage of caffeine content (which cannot be extracted from the bean) of around 0.3% or lesser and it is not completely caffeine free.
What’s the difference between instant coffee and coffee beans?
Instant coffee is already processed coffee and contains a little less caffeine as compared to regular ground coffee.
Ground coffee needs to be filtered before consuming, whereas instant coffee can be mixed directly into the water the milk mixture.