VARIETIES

When you think of what influences a coffee’s flavor, your mind might first go to the brewing method. Obviously espresso tastes much different than filter. You might also think of the process; again, naturally taste quite different than washed. Terroir also has a lot to do with flavor. Brazilian coffees are naturally going to taste different than Ethiopian. But let’s go back even further and talk about something you might not think of: variety.

There are two main species of coffee widely cultivated: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. But within the species of arabica there is still a lot of genetic diversity, just not enough classify as a different species altogether. Think about how all wine is made from the species Vitis vinifera, but there are many different varieties that you’re probably already familiar with: pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pino Grigio, etc. You’re probably heard of some of the more common or well-known varieties of coffee too: Bourbon (that’s bore-BOHN, not the whiskey), Typical, Gesha. But there are hundreds of different varieties of arabica, and while many of them were bred for increased yields or ease of harvest, some were selected for flavor. Some are even naturally occurring.

Let’s start with the basics. Plants reproduce via pollination - pollen from one plant is carried by a pollinator (bees, flies, birds, the wind, etc) to another plant, where it fertilizes the flower leading to the production of fruit or seeds. Coffee is a self-pollinating plant; that means that pollen from the plant travels to either other flowers on the same plant, or between reproductive structures within the same flower. What that means from a variety standpoint is that coffee is very easy to crossbreed. We’re not talking about GMOs here. Coffee can be crossbred as easily as rubbing one flower with your fingers, then rubbing a second and planting the resultant seed. This process has led to dozens of different varieties, with more being created all the time. Coffee varieties generally don’t get a name until they’ve reproduced for at least two generations. The first expression of a new hybrid is called an “F1,” a naming convention that is held throughout the agriculture industry. You can find F1s being sold by roasters, usually as an experimental lot. They’re almost always worth checking out, especially if you want to taste something on the cutting edge!

Coffee has almost always been crossbred for ease of harvest or disease resistance. For example, you’re probably familiar with Edgar Cosigua’s coffee from Finca San Jeronimo Miramar - a variety called “Sarchimor.” This is a cross between Catimor (a robusta) and Villa Sarchi (an arabica). This gives it disease resistance from the robusta and good flavor from the arabica. Disease resistance is becoming increasingly important as climate change causes fungal diseases to be more prevalent at higher altitudes. Another example is Catuai - a hybrid of Caturra and the heavy producing Mundo Novo. Many coffee varieties are naturally occurring mutations: Caturra is a mutation of Bourbon. Yellow and Orange Bourbons are natural mutations as well.

There are also many varieties that stand on their own for flavor. Both Typica, which gives rich chocolate and nutty flavors, and Bourbon, which taste similar with pronounced stone fruit notes, are thought of as the genetic parents of coffee. The famed Ethiopian variety Gesha (so named for the Gesha village, not for the Japanese courtesan “geisha”) tastes almost tea-like with delicate florals and acidity. SL-28 and SL-34, named for Scott Labs in Kenya where they were created, carry distinct black currant notes. Pink Bourbon isn’t a Bourbon at all; rather it’s an Ethiopian landrace that gives bright tropical fruit flavors. Not much research has been done in to breeding coffee plants for specific flavor combinations - but the potential is certainly present.

While many coffees are blends of several varieties mixed, with some even being labeled as merely “various arabica,” you can often find specific varieties and even singular ones. Try to notice the next time you really dig a particular coffee not just where’s from or how it’s processed, but what variety it is.