Different Types of Coffee from around the World

There are really only two types of coffee species, despite the many ways the resulting beans are prepared: arabica and robusta. Arabica might have come from the fact that it was first widely cultivated in the Arab world; robusta from the scientific fact that it is the hardier variety.

These types of coffee beans are primarily cultivated in equatorial Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa. Arabica coffee beans are grown in high altitudes, while robusta is more of a lowland variety and highly resistant to pests.

Coffee was first regarded to have energizing effects in Ethiopia, and the earliest record of coffee drinking was found in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen, presumably as part of religious ceremonies. From there, coffee made its way to Italy and spread to the rest of Europe. Java coffee is most likely a descendant of the coffee beans that the Dutch brought to Indonesia. Americans got their first taste during the Colonial period. With coffee introduced to a broader spectrum of cultures and tastes, the various types of coffee beverages were born – espresso, cappuccino, americano, Irish coffee, to name a few. Coffee connoisseurs consider arabica more nuanced; robusta is stronger and more full-bodied.

The differences in flavor, aroma, body and acidity among various types of coffee are largely influenced by where they are grown (the lower the altitude, the stronger the taste), how they were processed (the darker the roast the stronger the flavor), and what genetic subspecies (varietals) they come from. Java, Colombian and Kona (Hawaii) are types of coffee varietals according to regions they are grown. “Kopi luwak” is a class of its own.

Across various coffee literature, the most highly regarded of all types of coffee – kopi luwak – comes from cat poop. These are actually coffee berries defecated by Asian palm civet who are notorious picky eaters of only the sweetest coffee cherries. The fact that it is a low-production variety, coupled with the hard-to-imitate flavor it imparts (thanks to the cats’ digestive enzymes), commands exorbitant prices. The price tag of $50 a cup is enough to make you sit up.