What are the most popular types of coffee beans, and why?

With all the different geographical locations, roasting methods, and blends making it seem like there is an endless variety of coffees available, you might be surprised to discover only two types of coffee beans are heavily used for modern coffee production. Other types of coffee beans are available, but they are not used to a degree that makes them comparable to the most popular ones, which are Arabica and Robusta.

We are currently seeing the public interest in coffee grow every month. People are becoming better educated about their favourite beverage. You can get all of the mentioned coffee beans in Dublin.

Arabica coffee

When it comes to finding your own personal favourite coffee, there are too many factors to generalise about which is potentially the best bean. However, Arabica currently accounts for over 60% of the world’s coffee production, making it easily the current champion of production.

While some people will point to its superior taste, which is often attributed to Arabica’s higher levels of sugars and lipids, we suspect its global popularity may be because the plant is so easy to harvest and requires little attention. However, it is quite a delicate bean and can be easily influenced by environmental factors.

Colombia and Brazil currently produce the bulk of the world’s Arabica coffee beans. Although Arabica refers to types of beans, there is a lot of variety within the type. There are several distinctive brands using Arabica beans, such as Typica, Bourbon, Blue Mountain, and Caturra to name but a few.

Robusta coffee

The Robusta name stems from the bean’s robustness and immunity to disease. While there are also many distinct varieties within the Robusta family of coffees, they tend to contain more caffeine. Its strong taste makes it more likely to be a favourite amongst drinkers who add cream and sugar.

The more expensive Robusta beans flavour is often associated with a hint of chocolate. The resistance to disease and insects’ means they are cheaper to produce and consistently provide higher yields, which is often reflected in the retail price.

Three of the main producers of Robusta coffee beans are Vietnam, India, and Indonesia.

Why does there seem to be endless types of coffee beans in Dublin?

Despite these two types of coffee beans accounting for the vast majority of the domestic coffee market, the number of different coffees available and the obvious variations between them are largely due to the region the types of coffee beans were grown, and the method used to process the beans. There are three main processes used:

The dry process

Dry processing works by heating the fruit until the skin can be easily picked off. This leaves the green coffee bean. This is then roasted and sold. Dry processing can be very easy to perform, but isn’t always as good at determining whether seeds are ripe or not. While some high quality beans are dry processed, it is more common to see lower quality beans that have been dry processed.

The wet process

The wet process, as the name would suggest, involves submerging the coffee beans in water. This is carried out for several reasons. The ripe beans will always sink to the bottom, whereas unripe beans tend to float to the surface. In addition, this process makes the pulp that clings to a natural coffee bean fall off, virtually eliminating one whole step of the refinement process.

The semi-dry process

This process involves a combination of both previously mentioned methods. It’s a newer method that uses machines to dampen the fruit and grind the skin off, before being left out to dry.

Roast type

Roasting is a crucial part of the process heavily associated with the eventual aroma and taste of the coffee. Roasting methods can vary depending on who is processing the coffee. The most common roast types are light, medium, and dark roasts.

A light roast will produce a bean that’s a lighter shade of brown and contains more caffeine. Beans subjected to a medium roast will be slightly darker in colour. The longer roast time will mean they contain less caffeine, but they are often thought to be the best option for optimal aroma and flavour. Dark roast beans are a dark shade of brown, sometimes bordering on black in colour. They have the lowest caffeine levels.

An impossible task

When you take into account the potential number of combinations between types of coffee beans, geographical factors, processing methods, roasting methods, and even the potential to blend different beans together, it’s easy to see that it’s virtually impossible to definitively say which bean is the best. We always recommend our customers keep experimenting until they find the best coffee experience for them. No matter how diverse or specific your tastes are there will be a coffee to suit you.

Get In Touch For Further Advice

You don’t need to be a coffee connoisseur to be interested in the different types of coffee beans available in Dublin. Get in touch with us to discuss how you can enjoy an even better cup of coffee. Remember, at CoffeeClick we are coffee lovers too, and we’re always happy to help. Whether you want to know the attributes of a particular coffee, or the best type of brewing method to suit your preferences, our coffee enthusiasts will be able to guide you in the right direction.

We only source products from top-class brands. We do our best to ensure our customers receive only excellent products and value for money. We put our customers first, and our customer service is always speedy and helpful.

For everything you need delivered straight to your door check out our website, fill out the contact form on our site, call us on (01) 911 9911, or e-mail us at customerservice@coffeeclick.ie. We promise to deliver the authentic taste of Italian coffee straight to your door.