The Best Arabica Coffee Beans in the World

Many people are unaware that coffee beans sold at the grocery store or at your favorite cafe aren't all arabica. This type of coffee bean thrives at higher altitudes and has a softer flavor.

The terroir (or location of origin) of the coffee beans has a major influence on their taste. This is why single origin arabicas are highly sought-after.

1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

This coffee is known for its citrus and floral characteristics. The high quality beans are cultivated on small farms in the Oromia region (formerly Harrar) at altitudes that range from 1,400 to 2,000 meters. The natural process results in the flavor of berries and a sweet taste.

The high elevations of Yirgacheffe allow the coffee plants to grow slower, allowing them to absorb the nuances and flavors of the surrounding environment. The region also has a rich tropical climate that is ideal for coffee cultivation.

This coffee is available in green beans that have not been roasted. They are perfect for roasters who want to bring out its essence. Light to medium roasts let the berry, citrus and wine flavors to shine through. This coffee is a great match for desserts like lemon cake, chocolate and pound cake. The floral and herbal notes of this coffee also can be enjoyed with savory dishes that are spicy or sour in flavor.

2. Colombian Supremo

Affectionately known for its consistent quality and taste, Colombian Supremo is a popular option for coffee lovers of all levels. Supremo beans are renowned for their classic, smooth taste with notes of citrus and caramel.

The size of the beans is an important element in determining the flavor profile. Supremo coffee beans are large. This larger size means the beans will pass through Grade 14 or higher perforations on the sieve which are lower than Excelso.

With strict quality standards, a bright acidity and a moderately rich body, Colombian Supremo has a universal appeal that makes it an excellent choice for any brewing technique. This coffee is from the Popayan area is grown by farmers that are members of Colombian Coffee Federation. This organization has over 500 000 coffee producers. As such, this coffee is an excellent example of the high-quality Colombian beans that have earned the country a reputation for its top-premium quality arabica coffee beans 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 selection from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica is known for its elegance and smooth taste, and it's also a key ingredient in the coffee liqueur Tia Maria.

The soaring elevations of the Blue Mountains and their unique combination of fertile soil and mild climate as well as dense cloud cover provide the perfect conditions for the cultivation of coffee of the highest quality. The beans from this tiny region are coveted the world over and fetch high prices due to their rarity.

The name implies that Jamaican Blue Mountain is grown in the Blue Mountain district, a 6,000 hectare swath of the island, which is famous for its breathtaking natural beauty and the cultivation of coffee. The area is protected by a national park, and farmers cultivate a small amount of coffee with careful attention to preserve their unique characteristics.

4. Costa Rican Tarrazu

Costa Rican Tarrazu coffee is a coffee lover's delight. It is the perfect balance between acidity and body. The high altitudes of the region, as well as the mineral-rich volcanic soil allows for a more gradual ripening process, allowing the beans to get their full flavor.

Many of the farms that grow these coffees are also renowned for their environmentally-friendly practices and strict quality control measures, which make them popular with eco-conscious buyers. Some of them also offer traceability, which allows buyers to find out more about the particular farm that produced their coffee.

One World Roasters' Tarrazu is a prime example of the region's distinctive flavor profile, with aromas of vibrant grapefruit and lush dark chocolate. The medium body is balanced and well-rounded. This gives a smooth, satisfying end.

5. Caturra de Colombia

Caturra is a cultivar of coffee that has earned a name for itself in Latin America. The variety was introduced to Brazil as a natural change from Bourbon. Its capacity for production is superior to Bourbon, but it requires higher altitudes, resulting in lower yields. The process of mass selection was used to find parent plants that did exceptionally well. Bulk seeds from these parents were then produced and the process repeated.

Colombian Caturra is a high-yielding plant that has a remarkable resistance 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 that aims to revitalize and revive coffee production.

This heirloom Caturra was cultivated by farmers in the department of Urrao at 2,000 feet and then carefully roasted by Camber Coffee. Its cup quality is vibrant with the flavors of watermelon, citrus and strawberry.

6. French Roast

French Roast is a strong cup of coffee that has smoky, charred notes. This blend combines organic arabica coffee beans beans from a variety of regions, offering rich flavors of chocolate and caramel. The beans are darkly-roasted to bring out their natural oils and flavors. This blend is of top quality and will satisfy the most sophisticated taste buds.

These particular beans are more difficult to cultivate than other varieties of coffee due to the fact that they require specific conditions for climatic growth. The plants require a certain amount sunlight and rain and must be protected against frost and drought.

These beans are high in antioxidants which can boost your energy levels and improve your overall health. They are rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals which can cause chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Additionally, these beans are also sources of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid which is crucial for the body to convert food into energy.

7. Ethiopian Gesha

Geisha, or Gesha as it's known, was discovered in Ethiopia's Gori Gesha Forest in the 1930s. It was introduced to Panama in the 1960s when it quickly gained a reputation for its floral aromas, full-bodied flavour, and delicate acidity.

Geisha is among the most expensive varieties of coffee available on the market because it's highly susceptible to diseases and requires high growing altitudes with a lower yield of fruit. These factors make it difficult to consistently produce, which combines with its high cup scores to drive the price.

This particular Gesha lot was processed with honey. (Not the actual honey, the beans were treated and then dipped into a sugar-based water.) The beans were then moved to a marquee, and then dried for 96 hours through carbonic maceration. It's a unique process that enhances the complexity of this amazing coffee. It also gives OMA a rich and balanced cup profile of exotic florals like jasmine and tea roses and delicate stone fruits and citrus.

8. Indonesian Liberica

Coffee lovers are mostly familiar with two species of the Coffea genus that are called robusta and arabica. The former accounts for 80% of all coffee traded in the world, whereas the second is only 20%. There are over 120 species in the genus and some are more popular than others.

The most favored non-arabica in the world is Coffea Excelsa (or var. dewevrei). This variety is cultivated on medium-sized trees with medium altitudes, and produces a teardrop shaped bean. It is typically used in blends and can give a distinctive taste that lasts for a long time.

Although it's not as popular as arabica but it does have an established market in Southeast Asia. This is largely because of the religious demand and the fact that Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia drink their coffee after prayers. Liberica's resistance to rust on coffee leaves and low caffeine content make it an attractive alternative for producers who do not have the funds to invest in arabica.

9. Brazilian Exelsa

Excelsa is a robust and productive, but it 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 buy arabica coffee beans near me. It also has a longer period of fruiting and its leaves are larger than other C. liberica varieties. It can also grow up to 15m tall and produce a lot of fruit.

Oliveiro says it's a pity that the plant is often misunderstood even though it was reclassified in 2006 as the dewevrei liberica variety. It can be a "really good coffee maker". It's unlikely that the plant will be converted to a commercial coffee with no market. But for those willing to invest the time and effort in cultivating it, the benefits are evident: Excelsa beans tend to have a lower caffeine content than arabica and canephora and also have a more dense mucilage, with less solids that are soluble.