Part 2

Varietals

When it comes to Arabica, there are lots of different plants that are known in the industry as varietals. These are different breeds of Arabica, just as there are different breeds of dogs and cats, some of which are natural, and some of which have been cultivated.

Some of the varietals include: Bourbon, Typica, Catimor, Beisha, Catuai and many more, all with different characteristics.

Origin

The origin is where the coffee beans have come from, and they come from dozens of countries which fall within what is regarded as the “coffee belt”, between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Coffee origins include Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Columbia, Vietnam, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Zambia, Indonesia and lots more.

Single Origin

 When you see the word ‘single origin’ its coffee grown within a single known geographic origin, sometimes, this is a single farm, or a specific collection of beans from a coffee growing region or single country.  The name of the coffee is then usually the place it was grown to whatever degree available. Single-origins are viewed by some as a way to get a specific taste, and some independent coffee shops have found that this gives them a way to add value over large chains.