Types Of Coffee Beans

There are only two types of coffee beans! Truth or fiction? Believe it or not, its true! The two types of coffee beans are Arabica and Robusta. Now, you must be thinking to yourself, "Wait just a second there Landa, When I go to the grocery store I see rows and rows of coffee, you can't be serious."
Actually I am, there really are only two types of coffee beans, when you go to your local market and are seeing all of those types of coffee beans they are actually either Arabica beans or Robusta beans broken down by brand, blend and roasting method.

What about Blue Mountain Coffee, Kona Coffee or even Columbian coffee? These refer to the growing area not the "type" of bean used.

Types of Coffee Bean Roasts

Light Roast:
Also known as: Cinnamon Roast, Half City Roast and New England Roast.
Flavor:Light bodied and a little sour.
Most of the American mass-market roasters stop at this stage.

Medium Roast:
Also known as: Full City Roast, American Roast, Regular Roast, Breakfast Blend or Brown Roast.
Flavor:A tad sweeter than the light roast, full bodied and a nice aroma.
This is the roast that most U.S. specialty sellers tend to prefer

Dark Roast:
Also known as: High Roast, Viennese Roast, French Roast or Continental Roast.
Flavor:Light bodied and a little sour.
It is at this point that most roasters in the Northwest U.S. stop roasting, like Starbucks.

Darkest Roast:
Also known as: Italian Roast or Espresso.
Flavor:Smoky and has lost much of the beans flavor.

Coffee Facts

Arabica Coffee (from C. arabica) is typically held in higher regard than Robusta coffee (from C. canephora). Arabica coffee tends to be less bitter and have more flavor but less body. As a result of this about 3/4 of cultivated coffee is arabica.

Robusta coffee contains about 40 to 50% more caffeine than Arabica.

Coffee Bean Growth Map

R = Robusta M = Both Robusta and Arabica A = Arabica

Top 10 Coffee Producers by Region