Types of Arabica Coffee Beans

Many types of Arabica coffee beans exist for connoisseurs to enjoy. Arabica coffee beans originally come from the mountains in Africa and Asia, but grow throughout the world now. Learn about the types of Arabica coffee beans to easily choose the flavor profile you are looking to taste.

In the wild, the Arabica plant grows to more than 40 feet, but farmers keep the plant around eight feet when growing commercially. Arabica coffee makes up about 70 percent of coffee grown worldwide. Popular varieties of this coffee include Jamaica Blue Mountain and Kona. Brazil produces the most amount of coffee, though their beans have a plain flavor profile.

The smoothest Arabica coffee variety hails from Columbia. Small batches and coffee aged until it has the consistency of syrup make the Columbian region famous for their coffee. Coffee that comes from the Jamaica region has a higher acid content making it much less palpable. However, the Jamaican Blue Mountain beans grown high in the mountains have a wonderful taste that is not acidic.

Though the Arabic bean originated in Africa, production there has slowed considerably. The wild Arabica varieties there have some strange characteristics. The Harrarr bean brews into a dark red liquid. The Moka has a unique spicy taste.

Asia produces some coffee varieties that have become quite popular, namely Kona. Flavor profiles of Asia produced Arabica coffee mimics South American variants. Coffee does not grow wild there, so varieties are strictly limited to robust, commercially created strains.