Identifying Arabica varieties

Coffee’s earliest origins, Ethiopia and Yemen, have what we would describe as “heirloom” varietals from which the more recognised Arabica varietals developed. Typica and Bourbon appear to be the two key varietals that developed in Yemen and spread to other parts of the world.

It’s also worth noting that other very early types of coffee exist which were never seen as suitable for cultivating and drinking, and there are also historical aspects of Coffea Canephora (essentially Robusta, counting for around 40% of world coffee production) and Liberica coffee (cultivated in some areas, but not highly regarded).

The two traditional varieties:

• Typica
• Bourbon

Cup quality from Bourbon Arabica coffees is often excellent – complex, aromatic and with good body – but its smaller bean size and lower yields meant it has often been replaced with mutations and hybrids for commercial reasons. Typica Arabica is usually more subtle in the cup though it can still produce high quality coffee, but again its low yields often saw it substituted on coffee farms in more recent times.

Natural mutations from Bourbon and Typica

Often producing good quality coffee with added benefits (Caturra can be planted closer together so increasing productivity in any given area). Maragogype produces freakily large beans and so it can sometimes seem to be more about style than substance. Here are some examples:

• Caturra - Mutation from Bourbon
• Maragogype - Mutation from Bourbon
• San Ramon - Mutation from Typica
• Pacas - Mutation from Typica

Cultivars - Arabica hybrids achieved through natural selection and propagation

These tend to have been developed to suit regional requirements within the origin country, to get the best economic return without compromising coffee quality too much. Yellow Bourbon can be excellent, and look out for the up and coming Pacamara variety from Central America that has had some great success for farmers in Cup of Excellence competitions. Here are some examples:

• Yellow Bourbon (Red Bourbon x Yellow Botucatu)
• Blue Mountain - Grown in Jamaica and Kenya
• Mundo Novo (Sumatra x Red Bourbon)
• Acaiá (A lineage of the above)
• Kent - Grown in India and Tanzania as two examples
• Red Catuaí (Mundo Novo x Caturra)
• Yellow Catuaí (A lineage of the above)
• Pacamara (Pacas x Maragogype)

Arabica – Robusta hybrids

Through natural selection and propagation

These are frequently inferior in flavour to non-hybrid Arabicas, but far better tasting than Robusta. They benefit from Robusta’s hardier, more resistant and productive features. Having said that, the Yellow Icatu variety can be very good when cultivated by the right hands.

• Hibrido de Timor (Arabica x Robusta)
• Catimor (Hibrido de Timor x Caturra)
• Ruiru 11 Developed and grown in Kenya
• Icatu (Hybrid x Mundo Novo x Caturra)
• Yellow Icatu (Icatu x Yellow Bourbon)
• Colombia (Hibrido de Timor x Caturra)
• Tabi (Hibrido de Timor x Typica x Bourbon)
• Castillo - Grown in Colombia

Genetically modified (GM) Arabica

We should make it clear from the start that we are completely opposed to any developments regarding genetically modified (GM) coffee. It not only has no place whatsoever in the speciality coffee sector but could affect the livelihoods of millions of small scale coffee producers and their families – GM coffee and its investments are more likely to benefit the large farms and estates and in particular the commercial coffee sector rather than the speciality coffee industry

At this moment in time, GM coffee remains in the trial stages and as developments in the laboratory. The two main reasons why GM coffee might raise its head in the commercial market are:

• To enable coffee cherries to ripen all at once – at the moment they ripen ad hoc so they either have to be stripped from the tree all at once (ripe and unripe) which damages the tree and provides a range of quality, or picked in stages which is labour intensive. If the ripe coffee cherries could be harvested in one go, the overall yields would be higher and production costs reduced.
• To develop a naturally decaffeinated coffee plant – to decaffeinate coffee requires an industrial process that increases the cost of the coffee and can destroy its flavour if not done correctly. A naturally decaffeinated coffee would not need to pass through the decaffeination process and would retain its inherent flavour.

It’s no great surprise that trials for the ripening scenario involve Robusta plants, as this coffee is the mainstay of the commercial coffee sector. In the case of decaffeinated plants, the fact that caffeine acts as a natural insecticide would seemingly suggest that a greater input of artificial pesticides would be required.

Ultimately, the decision lies with the consumer so it can only be hoped that GM coffee receives an appropriate response from the public.