What Variety is My Coffee?

Ever wonder why one cup of coffee tastes like bright, juicy berries while another delivers a rich, chocolatey finish? While there are more than 100 species of coffee plants in the genus Coffea, almost everything you’ll find in your cup comes down to two heavy hitters: Arabica and Robusta.

Robusta is typically used by multinational coffee brands for things like instant coffee, and European roasters commonly use it in their espresso blends. It is grown at lower altitudes, has more caffeine and is generally less expensive to produce. The tradeoff? It typically has a stronger, more bitter flavor profile, with heavier body and earthy, savory, and woody notes.

Arabica, on the other hand, is the star of the specialty coffee world, making up roughly 60–70% of global coffee production. While it generally requires more care and tends to thrive at higher elevations, Arabica rewards us with smooth, sweet, complex cups with an incredible range of flavors.

And here’s where things get really interesting: Arabica comes in hundreds of different varieties, much like the countless varieties of grapes used to make wine. Each variety can have its own flavor potential, growing preferences, and level of resistance to pests and disease. Some are delicate and floral, others are fruity and bright, while some lean rich, sweet, and chocolatey.

There’s a whole world of flavor packed into those little beans. I wasn't kidding when I said coffee is a lot like wine!

From Farm to Your Cup

To bring you the absolute best, our Director of Coffee, Bobby, collaborates with producers and suppliers around the globe. Together, they select distinct coffee lots. Lots are specific harvests that may be separated by farm, region, altitude, variety, processing method, or harvest period.

Each lot has its own characteristics, and these differences are part of what makes coffee so much fun to explore. The same variety grown in two different places can taste completely different depending on the soil, climate, elevation, processing, and the care that goes into producing it.

Single Origin vs. Blend: What’s the Difference?

Single Origin coffees come from one defined geographic origin, whether that’s a single farm, cooperative, community, or region. They allow the unique characteristics of that place to shine through in the cup.

And here’s a fun fact: a single-origin coffee can still contain multiple plant varieties! Smallholder farmers may grow several varieties together, and those coffees can still be considered single origin because they come from the same defined geographic source.

Blends, on the other hand, combine coffees from different origins to create a specific flavor profile. By thoughtfully combining different lots, our roasters can balance sweetness, acidity, body, and complexity to create a harmonious cup that delivers a consistent experience throughout the year.

Popular Coffee Varieties to Know

• Typica: One of the foundational Arabica varieties, known for its clean, sweet, balanced cup and elegant acidity.

• Bourbon: A beloved classic known for sweetness, balanced acidity, and a smooth, full body.

• Caturra: A naturally occurring dwarf mutation of Bourbon first identified in Brazil. It’s known for good productivity and can produce coffees with bright acidity and lively fruit character.

• Catuai: A high-yielding hybrid of Caturra and Mundo Novo. Red Catuai can produce sweet, chocolatey, caramel-like flavors, while Yellow Catuai can show bright citrus and honey-like sweetness.

• Pacamara: These are somewhat common in Central America, this cross was developed in El Salvador in 1958. The beans are quite large, and the flavor profile is bold with tropical fruits, floral, and a wine-like acidity.

• Ethiopian Heirloom/Landrace varieties: Arabica originated in Ethiopia, so the varieties grow naturally here, wild in the forests!  

• 74110 and 74112: Developed in Ethiopia by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). Selected from mother trees for high yields, disease resistance, and regional cup quality. Farmers plant these alongside wild landraces.

• Gesha (or Geisha): One of the world’s most sought-after varieties, prized for its delicate body and expressive floral and tea-like aromatics, often accompanied by notes of jasmine and tropical fruit.

• Pink Bourbon: A highly sought-after Colombian variety known for its elegant sweetness, bright acidity, and complex citrus and floral characteristics.

• Chiroso and Bourbon Sidra: These were discovered in Colombia in recent years and have proliferated for their characteristics akin to Ethiopian coffee.

• Java: The cup profile has a soft acidity. This variety took roots in the Indonesian island of Java in the 19th century, being brought over by the Dutch from Ethiopia. The beans have an elongated shape. 

• SL28 & SL34: Kenyan varieties famous for vibrant acidity, juicy fruit character, and complex flavor profiles.

We list the variety, origin, processing information, and more for our single origins and blends on our website. It’s a great way to learn more about the coffees you’re drinking and start keeping track of the varieties and flavor notes you love most. 

Because the more you learn about coffee, the more you realize there’s a whole lot more to that little bean than meets the eye!