The Best Arabica Coffee Beans in the World

Most people are unaware that the coffee beans at your favorite café or supermarket aren't arabica. This type of coffee plant thrives at high altitudes, and has a softer flavor.

Where the coffee beans grow (aka their terroir) has a major influence on the taste. This is why single origin arabicas are so sought-after.

1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

The coffee is known for its floral and citrus characteristics The coffee is a classic. The top quality beans are cultivated on small farms in the Oromia region (formerly Harrar) at altitudes between 1,400 and 2,200 meters. The natural process results in pronounced sweetness and berry flavor.

The elevations high in Yirgacheffe allows the coffee plants to develop more slowly, allowing them to absorb the subtleties and flavors of the surrounding environment. The area also has a lush tropical climate that is perfect for growing coffee.

This coffee is available in green beans that haven't been roast. They are ideal for roasters who wish to bring out its essence. Light to medium roasts highlight the wine, citrus and the berry flavor. This coffee is great with desserts that complement these flavors like lemon pound cake or chocolate. The floral and herbal notes of this coffee also work well with food items that are spicy or sour.

2. Colombian Supremo

Colombian Supremo, a coffee that is well-known for its consistency in flavor and quality is a favorite for coffee lovers of all levels. Typically, it has a smooth, classic flavor profile, with notes of light caramel and citrus, Supremo beans have an overall mild flavor that's balanced enough to satisfy a variety of palates.

The size of the beans is a major factor in determining the flavor profile. Supremo coffee beans are large. This bigger size means that the beans will generally go through Grade 14 (or higher) perforations in the sieve which is less than the grade of Excelso.

With strict quality standards, a bright acidity and moderately rich body, Colombian Supremo has a universal appeal which makes it a good choice for any brewing method. This coffee is from the Popayan region is cultivated by farmers that are part of the Colombian Coffee Federation. This organization supports over 500 000 coffee producers. This coffee is an example of the premium Colombian beans that have been renowned for its top-quality coffees.

3. Jamaican Blue Mountain

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one of the most sought-after gourmet coffees around the world. Its smooth, rich flavor makes it one of the most sought-after varieties. This wet-processed Jamaican Blue Mountain variety is famous for its sophistication and smoothness. It's also an important ingredient in the coffee liquor Tia Maria.

The steep elevations of the Blue Mountains and their unique combination of fertile soils, mild climate, and dense cloud cover provide an ideal setting for growing coffee of exceptional quality. The coffee beans grown in this small region are sought-after the world over and command high prices because of their rarity.

As the name suggests, Jamaican Blue Mountain is grown in the Blue Mountain district, a stretch of 6,000 acres on the island that's known for its spectacular natural beauty and the cultivation of coffee. The area is protected as an official national park. farmers cultivate small lots of coffee with care to preserve the distinct characteristics of the beans.

4. Costa Rican Tarrazu

A coffee lover's desire, Costa Rican Tarrazu is an ideal balance of body and acidity. The region boasts high altitudes and a mineral-rich volcanic soil, which permits the beans to ripen at a slower pace so they can fully develop their flavor.

Many of these farms are known for their environmentally-friendly practices and strict measures to maintain quality, which makes them popular for eco-conscious buyers. Some also provide traceability, which allows customers to learn more about the farm that produced their coffee.

One World Roasters' Tarrazu is an excellent illustration of the region's distinctive flavor profile, displaying the vibrant grapefruit notes and lush dark chocolate. Its medium-bodied body is well-rounded and balanced, resulting in a smooth finish that's sure to please your taste buds.

5. Caturra de Colombia

Caturra is a coffee cultivar, has become the most popular name in Latin America. This variety was introduced into Brazil as a natural change from Bourbon. Its potential for production is superior to Bourbon however, it requires higher altitudes which results in lower yields. Growers employed a method known as mass selection to identify individual parent plants for their exceptional performance, then bulked seed from those parents and repeated the process.

Colombian Caturra has an excellent yield and is resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust. It is one of the parents of the Castillo variety, which was developed by Cenicafe as the flag plant for their "Colombia sin roya" program designed to revive and revitalize the production of coffee.

This vintage Caturra is cultivated at 2,000m by farmers in Urrao, was roasted by Camber Coffee. Its cup quality is vibrant with flavors of watermelon strawberry and citrus.

6. French Roast

For those who want a bold cup of coffee with smoky and charred notes will enjoy French Roast. This blend is a mixture of arabica beans from various regions that have rich flavor such as chocolate and caramel. The beans are roasted darkly to bring out their natural oils and flavors. This is a high-quality blend that will please even the most sophisticated palate.

These beans are more difficult to cultivate than other varieties of coffee because they require very specific conditions in the climatic environment to thrive. The plants require a particular amount of sunlight and rain and must be protected from frost and drought.

Consuming coffee made from these beans can help increase your energy levels and improve your overall health. They are rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals which can trigger chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. These beans also contain vitamin B5 or pantothenic acids which are vital to the body's transformation of food into energy.

7. Ethiopian Gesha

Known as Geisha or Gesha, this variety of coffee was first discovered in the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia in the 1930s. It was brought to Panama in the 1960s when it quickly gained fame for its floral aromas, full-bodied flavour and delicate acidity.

Geisha is among the most expensive coffees on the market because it's highly prone to disease and requires high elevations with lower fruit yield. These characteristics make it hard to consistently produce. This, in conjunction with its high score on the cup, drives the price.

This particular Gesha lot was processed with honey. (Not actual honey, the beans were processed and then dipped into a sugar-based water.) The beans were then moved to an enclosure and dried for 96 hours through carbonic maceration. This unique process adds to the complexity and taste of this coffee. It also gives OMA a complex yet balanced cup profile that is full of exotic florals, such as jasmine and tea roses, with delicate citrus and stone fruits.

8. Indonesian Liberica

Coffee drinkers are most likely familiar with two species of the Coffea genus: arabica and robusta. The former is responsible for 80% of global coffee trade, while the latter makes up 20%. There are over 120 species in the genus, and some are less popular than others.

Currently, the most well-known non-sustainable arabica coffee bean farm species is Coffea excelsa (or var. dewevrei). This variety is found on large trees that are at medium altitudes. It produces a teardrop-shaped bean. It is typically used in blends and can give a distinctive lasting flavor to your drink.

It's not as well-known in Southeast Asia as arabica coffee beans variety but it has its own niche market. This is largely because of the demand created by religion and the fact that Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia drink their coffee after prayers. Liberica's resistance to rusty coffee leaves and its low levels of caffeine make it an attractive alternative for those who don't have enough money to invest in organic arabica coffee beans.

9. Brazilian Exelsa

Excelsa is robust and productive but it also requires more attention from farmers than other Coffea arabica species or canephora. This is due to its asymmetrical bean, which are bigger than canephora and arabica. It 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 huge volume of fruit.

Oliveiro says it's a pity that the plant is not understood, despite it being reclassified in 2006 as the dewevrei liberica variety. It is a "really good coffee maker". But, without a commodity market and a comparatively low demand for the species, the switch is unlikely to happen. If you're willing and able to commit the time and effort needed to cultivate it, the advantages of excelsa beans are obvious. They are lower in caffeine than canephora or arabica and have a thicker, less soluble mucus.