Types of Coffee Beans: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa

Every coffee bean is a seed from the fruit of a coffee plant. Each coffee cherry usually holds two seeds, flat on one side, and those seeds are what get dried, roasted and ground. The plant they come from decides a lot about how the coffee tastes.

There are about 130 known species of coffee plants in the wild, according to Kew botanist Aaron Davis writing for the Specialty Coffee Association. Only a handful are farmed for drinking, and two of them supply almost the entire world.

What are the main types of coffee beans?

The main types of coffee beans are arabica (Coffea arabica), robusta (Coffea canephora), liberica (Coffea liberica) and excelsa (Coffea dewevrei). Arabica and robusta make up nearly all coffee sold worldwide. Liberica and excelsa are grown in much smaller amounts, mostly for local markets in Southeast Asia and Africa.

USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service forecasts world production of 189.7 million 60-kilogram bags for 2026/27. Of that, 105.9 million bags are arabica (about 56%) and 83.8 million are robusta (about 44%). USDA does not track liberica or excelsa separately because the volumes are so small.

Production shares from USDA FAS, Coffee: World Markets and Trade (July 2026). Liberica and excelsa details from SCA News (Aaron Davis, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

What is arabica coffee?

Arabica is the most widely grown coffee species and the one behind almost all specialty coffee. It originated in the forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan, is usually grown at higher elevations, and is known for sweetness, acidity and a wide range of flavors, from berries and flowers to caramel and chocolate.

Arabica has an unusual family history. The Specialty Coffee Association notes that one of its two parent species is Coffea eugenioides, and the other is Coffea canephora, the robusta plant. Arabica formed as a natural hybrid of the two.

Brazil is by far the largest arabica grower, with a 2026/27 USDA forecast of 47.5 million bags. Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras and Peru are also big arabica producers and grow almost no robusta. The varieties named in our catalog, from Gesha to Pacamara, are all arabica varieties, which is typical for specialty roasters.

When a bag says "100% arabica," it tells you the species, and little else. Arabica can be ordinary or extraordinary depending on where it was grown, how it was processed and how fresh it is. Our lesson on origin, processing and roast covers those factors.

What is robusta coffee?

Robusta is the common name for Coffea canephora, the second most grown coffee species. It is hardier and more productive than arabica, grows at lower elevations and in hotter climates, and has more caffeine. Its flavor is stronger and more bitter, so it is used mostly in instant coffee, supermarket blends and some espresso blends.

Robusta comes from western and central sub-Saharan Africa. The Specialty Coffee Association describes it as distinct from arabica in physical and chemical traits, including higher productivity and caffeine. Vietnam is the largest grower by far, with a USDA forecast of 31.4 million bags of robusta in 2026/27. Brazil grows 24.4 million bags of robusta alongside its arabica, followed by Indonesia, Uganda and India.

Robusta's extra caffeine is part of why some espresso blends include it, along with the thick crema and heavy body it adds. Some producers now grow higher-quality "fine robusta" for specialty buyers, though it is still rare on US roaster menus.

Roast level has much less effect on caffeine than species does. Our lesson on whether dark roast has more caffeine explains why.

What are liberica and excelsa coffee?

Liberica and excelsa are two rare coffee species from Africa with caffeine levels close to arabica. Liberica tastes of tropical fruit, and excelsa of tart fruit, chocolate and spice. Both tolerate heat better than arabica, so researchers see them as possible crops for a warming climate.

Liberica has a surprising past. According to Aaron Davis of Kew, arabica and liberica were the main coffees in world trade by the late 1800s, with robusta playing a minor role. Liberica production then collapsed in the early 20th century, and robusta took its place.

Today liberica is grown in Malaysia, Liberia and the Philippines, mostly for local drinkers. Excelsa is grown in Vietnam, Uganda, the Philippines and India, where it is expanding onto lowland farms affected by climate change. Davis notes that both species tolerate higher temperatures than arabica and a wider range of temperature and rainfall than either arabica or robusta, and resist some common pests and diseases.

Is excelsa a type of liberica?

It used to be. Most botanists classified excelsa as a variety of liberica, called Coffea liberica var. dewevrei. A 2025 genomic study led by Davis and published in Nature Plants concluded that "liberica" is really three separate species: Coffea liberica, Coffea dewevrei (excelsa) and Coffea klainei. That raised the count of known coffee species from 131 to 133.

What are coffee varieties, and why do bags list them?

A coffee variety is a genetic type within a species, like a grape variety in wine. Arabica has many, including Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Gesha and Pacamara. Specialty roasters list the variety because it affects flavor, and some varieties, such as Gesha, are famous and command higher prices.

When people search for types of coffee beans, they often mean these varieties as well as species. Some came from natural mutations, others from breeding programs. The SCA notes, for example, that Caturra was found in Brazil in 1937 and Catuai was released in 1968. Typica spread around the world from Java in the early 1700s.

Here are some varieties you can find in our catalog:

Variety notes from the Specialty Coffee Association's Coffee Plants of the World and roaster listings.

The roasters list these notes for a few of them: Onyx describes Santa Rosa with grape, rose and deep sweetness; Hayman lists mango, mandarin, bergamot and jasmine for its Panama Geisha; and Spirit Origin lists cacao, tropical fruit, white wine and hazelnut for its Bourbon Natural.

Which type of coffee bean should you buy?

For most home coffee drinkers, arabica is the best type to buy, because it offers the most flavor variety and is what specialty roasters sell. Choose a robusta blend only if you want extra caffeine and a bold, bitter espresso. Try liberica or excelsa if you find them, mostly for curiosity.

Once you settle on arabica, species stops being the useful question. Origin, variety, processing and roast level tell you far more about flavor. A good way to start:

• You like fruity, bright coffee: look for light-roasted arabica from Ethiopia or Kenya, or a Gesha.
• You like chocolate and caramel: look for medium or medium-dark arabica from Brazil, Colombia or Central America.
• You want more caffeine: look for an espresso blend that lists robusta.
• You want less caffeine: try decaf, or a naturally low-caffeine variety such as Laurina.

You can filter by origin, roast and process in Explore coffees.

Frequently asked questions