What's In Your Coffee Cup? Here's a Quick Guide on Coffee Beans
Acquaint yourself with the different types of coffee beans, and you'll be on your way to that perfect cup of joe.
Robusta Beans
Boasting a stronger flavor profile, robusta beans make a cup of coffee that is rich, dark, and sharp. With almost double the amount of caffeine versus arabica beans, the round and small robusta beans are grown in the lower altitudes of the Eastern Hemisphere, primarily in Africa and Indonesia. Those who like their cup a bit grainy, nutty, and more bitter should choose these beans. Almost all instant coffee variants available in the market use this type of coffee.
Decaffeinated Coffee
Love the flavor of coffee but can't tolerate large amounts of caffeine? Then decaffeinated (decaf in short) coffee is for you. Before roasting and grinding, the beans go through a process that removes at least 97 percent of their caffeine content. The result is a milder flavor profile-perfect for those who don't like their coffee too bitter. Don't turn to decaf if you need a mid-afternoon jolt.
Espresso Roasts
Coffee blends are made by combining and balancing beans to achieve a specific flavor profile. The more common blends available in the market are espresso roasts. Espresso blends are versatile and feature the right balance of sweetness, acidity, body, and bitterness. These blends are the darkest roasts and are typically used to make espresso shots, which you can use to whip up a latte or a cup of cappuccino.
Barako Coffee
Popularly grown in Batangas and Cavite, the barako coffee bean features a strong, bold, and intense flavor profile. It is a variety of liberica coffee, a less popular bean not usually grown commercially, unlike arabica and robusta. It is noted for its high caffeine content, which can instantly perk you up. Many locals who drink it black for its deep, dark taste find it superior to robusta and also prefer it over arabica.
Arabica Coffee
Arabica coffee has a sweet, mellow, floral flavor profile compared to robusta. A sip will give you hints of sugar, fruit, and berries, and it can sometimes even have chocolatey notes. Usually oval in shape, arabica beans are typically grown at high altitudes in rich soil, which is why they are mostly sourced from Latin America. Because of their sensitivity, they are pricier than robusta beans, but are also higher in quality. Its various nuances can be likened to those of wine.
Article was published in the August 2016 issue of Yummy magazine. Minor edits have been made by the Yummy.ph editors.
