El coffee It is one of the most commonly consumed beverages in our country. In addition to its many combinations to ingest it, there are also more than 100 varieties of coffee, although the main ones are Arabica and Robust physique. Today we tell you some more that you should know to open your range of possibilities when it comes to taking this delicious drink.
Arabica and Robusta, the most popular
How we have already anticipated you, the Arabica and Robusta are the most popular coffee varieties inbetween society. The first is associated with a high quality cup and is grown in Latin America, Central Africa and Indonesia. In addition, It is the most consumed species in the specialty coffee industry. Instead, the Robust physique is more resistant to disease and is common in Central Africa.
From these two great species many more varieties are born. And in the case of Arabica, there are two subgroups called pure varieties and hybrid varieties. Pure ones are varieties that have not been genetically mixed and that have been created through natural mutations and hybrid varieties are those that arise from the cross between traditional varieties.
What are the pure coffee varieties?
Typica and Bourbon they are par excellence the representatives of the pure varieties. Typica is grown mainly in Latin America and Asia, while Bourbon is found mostly in East Africa, where it arrived through the French colony of Bourbon, now called Reunion.
Likewise, Typica is considered lthe mother of all varieties of coffee for being the original coffee variety, thanks to its departure from Ethiopia more than 400 years ago. It usually has a clean acidity and sweet notes. In addition, its fruit is red and is characterized by low production, susceptibility to pests and good cup quality.
Bourbon is truly a natural mutation of Typica which occurred on the African islands of Bourbon, hence its name. It stands out for being sweet, with fruity and caramel aromas and flavors and its fruit can be red, yellow or orange. Similarly, it is grown mainly in Burundi and Rwanda. It is also of high production adapting to high altitude areas.
Caturra, Maragogipe and Geisha, natural mutations
The first natural mutation that we are going to talk to you about comes from the Bourbon variety and is called caturra. It originated in Brazil, in the state of Minas de Gerais and has an alteration in a gene that causes the plant to grow smaller. This variety of coffee gives a good quality in the cup, with bright acidity, medium body and floral and aromatic notes.
The second mutation was created from Typica in 1870 and is called maragogipe. His name, so funny and original, comes from his native Brazilian city. In the same way, it has a good reputation, especially in Central America, but its productivity is very low.
Finally, we find the variety and Geisha slot, emerged in Ethiopia, in 1930. He came to fame in 2005, when the Peterson family, originally from Boquete, Panama, won the contest called The Best of Panama. Su flavor has floral aromas and is associated with an exquisite cup when grown at high altitudes. Similarly, it is characterized by being very aromatic in the cup, with notes of citrus fruits.
Hybrids, a new generation of coffee varieties
Product of the crossing of pure varieties of Typica and Bourbon, the hybrid. Good quality and resistant types of coffee in the cup. In this group we can find, for example, the Mundo Novo or La Catuai.
The hybrid variety of Mundo Novo comes from a natural blend of Sumatra, a variety of Typica and Bourbon. It gets its name from the Brazilian place where it was discovered in the 40s. Its yield is high and it has resistance to pests. In the cup, its medium body, medium-low acidity and its sweet nuances are notable.
Lastly, we present you the variety catuai, a natural hybrid that comes from a mix between Caturra and Mundo Novo. It stands out for its high productivity and its high resistance to inclement weather typical of high altitude areas.
We hope that now that you know many more coffee varieties you are encouraged to try them and enjoy their qualities and their flavor. What is the one that has caught your attention the most? Have you heard of hybrid varieties before?
