TYPES OF COFFEE: HOW MANY VARIETIES ARE THERE AND WHICH ARE THE BEST?

How many varieties of coffee are there in the world? Did you know that coffees are not all the same? Today we will take you on a long journey to discover all the varieties of coffee in the world so that the next time you are about to buy it you will be able to understand what is written on the packages.

From the origins

Coffee comes from a plant called the “coffee tree ” which is mostly found in Yemen and Ethiopia. These two countries are the homelands of coffee even though there are plantations all over the world. Well, depending on its origin and its peculiarities, coffee is divided into Arabica, Robusta , Liberica and Excelsa . Did you know that? Perhaps you’ve definitely heard of the first two while the latter might seem less known to you, right? Let’s see what the differences are.

The Arabica

This is the most widespread variety for which it is estimated that it covers up to 80% of the entire global production. The Arabica comes from southern Ethiopia and offers soft and velvety flavours, with slightly wild and acidic hints. It is also grown in Brazil, Central America and Colombia and is the one you find most in supermarkets.

Robust

Robusta is the second most popular bean in the world , since it comes from a plant resistant to all types of soils. It is also known for the higher concentration of caffeine in the bean, almost double that of arabica. This is why the flavor is markedly more bitter and persistent while on the palate it is rough and less flavoured. The major cultivations of Robusta come from Africa and Indonesia.

Liberica and Excelsa

La Liberica is a different and unusual coffee for our palates. We don’t consume it much because it mostly belongs to the Scandinavian culture and traditions . It takes its name from the area where it is produced, Liberia to be precise.

Finally, Excelsa is a coffee of African origin, dating back to Chad. In terms of size and structure of the grain, it is very reminiscent of the Liberica variety but differs in the smaller size and decidedly reduced flavor compared to the first two varieties.

Four varieties, endless preparations!

The beauty of coffee is that, despite these few bean variations , there are an infinite number of ways in which it is used to prepare the drink. Turkish coffee , for example, has a completely different flavor than Italian espresso because it is watery and resembles tea .

Our espresso , on the other hand, is thick and full-bodied and goes well with breakfast. Maybe the next time you’ll be lucky enough to be able to travel informed about local habits and try to discover the facets of coffee in the world that are all delicious, just like our beloved espresso.

DolceVita Espresso coffee: around the world in capsules

If you want to travel around the world comfortably at home with your coffee machine, you can try the different lines of Espresso Italiano compatible capsules signed by DolceVita Espresso:

• Ristretto line : full character of selected Robusta origins from Africa and Asia combined with a light touch of Arabica gives Ristretto a strong flavour, a persistent cream and subtle toasted and cocoa notes;
• Intenso line : the balance between precious Arabica origins from Central America and selected African Robusta gives Intenso pleasant woody notes and a persistent taste;
• GranCrema line : the skilful blend of selected coffees with a high percentage of Arabica origins, gives Gran Crema a full, soft and silky taste with pleasant biscuity notes;
• GranGusto line : the use of only carefully selected Arabica coffees from Central America and Asia give GranGusto pleasant fruity and fresh notes with a slight acidity enhanced by the delicate roasting.