Coffee is the second most-consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. It's enjoyed by billions of people daily in a variety of forms.
Coffee isn't just one drink — its taste, aroma, and texture differ depending on the bean, roast level, and brewing method used to make it.
In this guide, you'll learn the difference between the 6 main types of coffee beans and 6 unique roast levels, as well as how various brewing methods alter your morning cup of Joe.
The 6 Types of Coffee Beans
There are hundreds of varieties of Coffea — coffee plants. However, only a handful are used to make coffee; many others have been documented but aren't cultivated on a commercial scale.
Here are the coffee species that are commercially grown and consumed worldwide:
1. Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica)
Arabica coffee beans are harvested from the Coffea arabica species. These beans are the most popular worldwide, making up around 60% to 70% of global coffee production. They're favored for their sweet, smooth, complex flavor and work well with most brewing methods.
This coffee variety thrives in cool, high-altitude regions. It's grown throughout South and Central America as well as parts of Africa and Asia. The slower growth at high altitudes allows the beans to mature slowly, providing time to develop a complex flavor profile.
Arabica is celebrated for its smooth body, gentle acidity, and nuanced flavor notes, which can range from sweet and fruity to floral or chocolaty depending on the growing conditions.
Arabica has a relatively mild caffeine content compared to other species. It contains around half the amount of caffeine gram-for-gram compared to robusta. This lower strength contributes to the beans’ smoother, more refined taste.
Arabica coffee works well in a variety of brewing methods, such as:
- Pour-over (Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Clever Dripper, Chemex)
- French press
- Aeropress (especially with a paper filter for clarity)
- Cold brew (accentuates sweet, smooth notes)
- Espresso (for balanced, refined shots)
- Drip coffee maker
- Siphon coffee maker
- Moka pot (for a smooth, less bitter stovetop coffee)
2. Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora var. robusta)
Robusta comes from the robusta variant of the coffee species Coffea canephora. It's the second most popular coffee variety worldwide, making up for around 30% to 40% of global production.
Robusta coffee is known for its strong, bold, slightly bitter flavor and incredible caffeine content — producing double the amount gram-for-gram as arabica. This species is also a lot hardier than Coffea arabica. It's grown at lower altitudes and produces a much higher yield. It's primarily cultivated in the warm, humid climate and volcanic soils of Southeast Asia, with Vietnam as the top producer worldwide by volume.
Flavor-wise, robusta is more intense and bitter than arabica, with a heavier body and woody, earthy, nutty notes. It's these characteristics that give the species a bad name — with many connoisseurs dubbing it “arabica's ugly cousin.”
However, when brewed correctly and combined with condensed milk or sweetened creamer, its dark, bold notes and high strength produce a delicious, luxurious brew.
100% robusta beans are often used to make Vietnamese iced coffee (cà phê sửa đá) — a rich, sweet chilled beverage that's sweetened with condensed milk. It's also often combined with arabica in espresso blends to provide strength and depth…
100% robusta coffee works well with a variety of brewing methods, such as:
- Vietnamese phin filter (for cà phê sữa đá)
- Espresso (for a bold, concentrated cup)
- Moka pot (produces a bold, concentrated cup without expensive equipment)
- French press (for maximum body and strength)
- Turkish cezve/ibrik (for deep, intense flavor)
- Cold brew (mellows bitterness, keeps strength)
- Percolator (old-school strong brew with a thick mouthfeel)
- Drip coffee maker (for bold everyday coffee)
3. Coffee Blends (C. arabica x C. robusta)
Coffee blends combine two or more varieties of coffee together to create a balance of each bean's characteristics. The most common blend is arabica and robusta, which combines the smoothness of arabica coffee with the bold strength and body of robusta.
You'll also find blends like Saigon OG, which combine arabica, robusta, and “peaberry” — a superior strain of robusta that's dubbed “the world's strongest coffee.
The goal of coffee blends is to achieve a harmonious balance between beans. They also produce a more consistent cup of coffee because beans can be sourced globally — if one region is performing poorly during a growing season, a similar variety from elsewhere in the world can replace it.
One bean might bring bright, citrusy acidity, while another adds nutty, roasted notes. By blending, roasters can create a signature house coffee that tastes the same year-round, even if the availability of certain beans changes seasonally.
Blends also offer versatility for brewing. A well-balanced medium roast blend can be used to make everything from bold espressos to French press coffee, cold brew, and creamy iced coffee.
Blends are extremely versatile; they work well with several brewing methods, such as:
- Espresso (balanced crema, body, and flavor)
- Moka pot (brings out robusta’s strength and arabica’s sweetness)
- French press (for a full-bodied cup)
- Pour-over (V60, Kalita Wave, Origami dripper)
- Drip coffee maker
- Aeropress
- Cold brew (smooth, rounded flavor)
- Siphon coffee maker (for a clean, aromatic cup)
4. Liberian Coffee (Coffea liberica)
Liberian coffee comes from the Coffea liberica species. It's a rare breed of coffee that was once popular but now makes up less than 1% of global coffee production. They have a larger bean size, floral aroma, and a smoky, woody flavor with fruity hints when roasted.
Originating from West and Central Africa, liberica became popular in the late 19th century after a coffee rust epidemic wiped out much of the arabica crops in Southeast Asia. Farmers in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam turned to liberica because of its disease resistance and ability to thrive in hot, humid, low-altitude environments.
Unfortunately for the species, robusta quickly replaced liberica because of its faster growth, higher yields, and ease of harvesting (Coffea liberica plants are extremely tall). Liberica coffee is now cultivated on only a few specialty farms across Malaysia, the Philippines, and select regions in West Africa.
The flavor of Liberian coffee is bold and unique — it’s often described as woody, smoky, floral, and fruity. Many people describe jackfruit-like undertones and hints of dark berries, such as currants and blackberries.
Some people love the complexity that this specialty bean brings to the table, others dislike its unconventional taste, believing it to be too dissimilar to the arabica coffee they’re used to.
Liberian coffee beans are best brewed using delicate extraction methods such as:
- French press
- Pour-over (V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex)
- Cold brew
- Siphon coffee maker
- Moka pot
- Espresso (for an intense, smoky shot)
5. Excelsa Coffee (Coffea excelsa)
Excelsa is a unique coffee variety that was once classified as its own species — Coffea excelsa. However, it’s now considered a variant of Coffea liberica — the “Excelsa” variety.
It’s grown mainly in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam and the Philippines. However, like regular Liberian coffee, it’s not cultivated en masse. It makes up less than 1% of global coffee production.
Excelsa beans produce a cup that’s fruity, tart, and complex, often with a bright, almost berry-like acidity. It tastes similar to regular Liberian without the smoky, toasted flavors. Excelsa offers a lighter body and a more aromatic profile.
Many specialty roasters will add Excelsa beans to complex blends to add brightness and complexity. It’s rarely sold as a standalone coffee because its complex flavors are far from the coffee that the majority of the population is used to drinking.
Excelsa coffee is best brewed with delicate extraction methods that allow the complex tasting notes to shine:
- Pour-over (to highlight fruitiness)
- Chemex (provides clarity and delicate acidity)
- French press (for a rounder body)
- Cold brew (for a refreshing, tangy cup)
- Siphon coffee maker
- Drip coffee maker
- Cold drip brewer
6. Specialty Varieties (Typica, Bourbon, Geisha, Peaberry)
There are several specialty cultivars within the two most commonly cultivated coffee varieties — Coffea arabica (arabica coffee) and Coffea canephora (robusta coffee). These specialty varieties are prized for their distinctive flavors, rarity, and heritage.
They are typically grown in small quantities by specialty coffee farmers. The beans can be hard to find and expensive to purchase due to their rarity. But, for the coffee connoisseur, they offer flavor profiles that regular cultivars simply can’t produce…
Here are four of the most sought-after specialty varieties:
- Coffea arabica var. Typica — The original heirloom arabica variety. It’s clean, sweet, and well-balanced. Known for its clarity of flavor and mild body.
- Coffea arabica var. Bourbon — Sweet, with caramel and chocolate notes, often accompanied by mild acidity and a smooth mouthfeel.
- Coffea arabica var. Geisha — Famous for its jasmine-like aroma, tea-like body, and tropical fruit notes such as mango, papaya, and bergamot. Originally from Ethiopia, but most famously cultivated in Panama.
- Coffea robusta var. Peaberry — A rare robusta mutation where the cherry produces one rounded bean instead of two flat ones, creating a denser, more flavorful seed with a high caffeine concentration.
These specialty varieties are best brewed with methods that highlight clarity, aroma, and subtle complexity — or in the case of peaberry robusta, those that bring out its heavy body and dark, bold flavors of the bean.
Here are the best brewing methods for these varieties:
- Pour-over (Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex)
- Siphon coffee maker (for an elegant, balanced extraction that’s perfect for heirloom arabica)
- Aeropress (excellent for showcasing the complexity of specialty beans)
- Cold brew (perfect for bringing out delicate sweetness and showcasing the beans’ natural floral notes)
- Espresso (best used for dark roast arabica varieties)
- Moka pot (perfect for strong, bold Italian-style coffee shots)
- Cold dripper (for precision cold extraction)
- Vietnamese phin filter (best for brewing peaberry robusta beans)
Different Roast Levels
The type of coffee bean is only half of the story. While arabica, robusta, and other varieties produce vastly different flavors, the roast level (arguably) influences taste more — a light roast arabica tastes extremely different from a French roast arabica.
Roasting develops flavors in the coffee beans. Roasting the beans for different time periods gives them different roast levels and thus, different flavor profiles.
Here are the six roast levels you’ll find and how they affect the taste of your coffee:
1. Light Roast
Light roasts are removed from the roaster just after the beans reach the “first crack” — when the moisture rapidly escapes and the bean’s structure starts to change.
This shorter roasting time retains more of the bean’s original, origin-driven flavors. This makes it easier to distinguish region-specific tasting notes, whether the beans are from Vietnam, Ethiopia, Colombia, or Panama.
The flavor profile of light roast coffee leans more toward bright, crisp, and tangy. Depending on the bean used, you’ll notice a lively acidity and fruity, floral, tea-like notes. Light roasts also have a lighter body, creating a clean and refreshing mouthfeel.
The aroma is more delicate and fragrant than darker roasts, with noticeable scents of citrus, jasmine, vanilla, or tropical fruits (depending on the variety and origin). Light roasts are perfect for those who appreciate nuanced, complex cups and enjoy exploring the distinctiveness of single-origin beans.
2. Medium Roast
Medium roasts are left in the roaster beyond the first crack. They are left to develop for a few minutes after the crack, but are taken off the heat just before the second crack. This allows the natural flavors of the coffee to mingle with the deeper, sweeter notes that occur during caramelization as the Maillard reaction begins to take effect.
Medium roast coffee is smooth and well-rounded. You’ll taste a pleasant balance between acidity and body, often noting flavors of chocolate, roasted nuts, stone fruit, and honey.
This is the most versatile roast level — it’s equally appealing to people who enjoy bright, nuanced coffee as well as those who enjoy a full, rich, bold cup. It’s a great “everyday” roast for a variety of brew methods from espresso to cold brew.
3. Dark Roast
Dark roasts are cooked well past the second crack, where the bean’s oil rises to the surface and the toasted flavors from the Maillard effect begin to dominate. This results in a coffee that’s bold, deep, heavy-bodied, and low-acidity.
Dark roasts don’t retain as much of the bean’s natural characteristics as lighter roasts. Instead, they produce caramelized notes of chocolate, nuts, and molasses with smoky, earthy undertones.
The aroma of dark roast is intense, often producing scents similar to melted dark chocolate, roasted bread, and hardwood. The texture also tends to be heavier, coating the mouth with oil, creating a lingering finish.
This roast level is perfect for those who prefer a strong, bold cup. It works well in espresso, drip coffee, and pour-over as well as creamy lattes, cappuccinos, and other milk-based beverages.
4. French Roast
The French roast is a classic European roast where the beans are roasted to the edge of their limits. The French roast is taken far beyond the second crack, producing a glossy, oil-coated surface and a deep, smoky, almost black color.
All the original characteristics of the beans have been replaced by smoky, bittersweet flavors in this roast. It produces a cup with intense notes of mahogany, charred sugar, and even charcoal.
The aroma is bold and dramatic with an unmistakable “burnt” scent. The body is full and the texture heavy, with a lingering, oily, bitter aftertaste. If you love powerful, old-world-style coffee with a smoky, almost oak-aged finish, the French roast is for you.
5. Blonde (Cinnamon) Roast
The cinnamon roast — also known as the blonde roast — is a level that sits somewhere between light and medium. It’s removed from the roaster just after the first crack, preserving much of the bean’s original characteristics while adding some caramelization.
The beans are pale, dry, and a light, almost creamy, brown color. This roast has an exceptionally bright, sharp acidity, with cereal-like flavors. Grassy, earthy, and citrusy notes are balanced by mild toasted, nutty notes.
This roast level does the perfect job of showcasing the bean’s origins while inducing flavors that are more familiar with medium and dark roast beans. The aroma is delicate, fresh, and almost tea-like.
The blonde roast is perfect for people who want to enjoy the brightness and clarity of light roast coffee but want something “a little more.” The toasted, caramel-like notes make it more palatable to the person who enjoys darker roast coffee.
6. Butter Roast
The butter roast is a traditional level popular in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam and Malaysia. Butter roast coffee can be medium or dark roast; the defining feature of the beans is the addition of butter during the roasting process.
Butter (sometimes combined with sugar) is added during the roasting process to coat the beans with a glossy sheen. This imparts a rich, dessert-like flavor in the beans, resulting in a smooth, mellow cup with a caramelized sweetness, buttery mouthfeel, and nutty undertones.
The aroma is warm and welcoming. It can often be compared to toffee, fudge, or freshly baked pastries. Butter roast coffee feels indulgent and luxurious. It’s the perfect option for crafting sweet, creamy brews like lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites.
It’s also the perfect base for dessert-like beverages such as crème brûlée coffee and cà phê sửa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee) — a bold, iced beverage sweetened with condensed milk.
If you enjoy dessert-like beverages or want to craft bold, strong coffee with a buttery, caramel-like finish, butter roast beans are the perfect choice.
Bean, Roast, and Brew Guide
Use the table below to see which roast level and brewing methods suit the different types of coffee we have discussed in this article.
FAQs: Different Types of Coffee
Want to learn more about the different types of coffee?
Read through the answers to the frequently asked questions below…
1. What is the Most Popular Type of Coffee?
Arabica is the most popular coffee variety worldwide, making up around 60% of global production. It’s prized for its smooth, complex flavors, natural sweetness, and low bitterness compared to other varieties. In close second is robusta — making up around 40% of global production.
2. What is Arabica Coffee?
Arabica beans come from the Coffea arabica species of coffee plant. It’s known for its smooth, nuanced flavors with floral, fruity, and nutty notes. It has less caffeine than robusta and is naturally higher in sugar, making it less bitter, and often, more desirable.
3. What is Robusta Coffee?
Robusta beans come from the Coffea canephora (robusta) coffee plant. Coffee made with these beans is stronger, bolder, and more caffeinated than arabica. It’s commonly used in Vietnamese coffee, instant coffee, and espresso blends. It can be quite bitter when consumed black — most brews made from these beans are combined with syrup, creamer, and/or condensed milk.
4. What’s the Strongest Type of Coffee?
The strongest type of coffee is robusta. It contains around twice the amount of caffeine as arabica. The strongest brews are made using robusta beans and a high-pressure brewing method such as espresso.
5. What’s the Difference Between Brazilian and Vietnamese Coffee?
Brazilian coffee is typically from Coffea arabica (arabica coffee). Vietnamese coffee is made from the beans of Coffea canephora (robusta). Brazilian coffee is smooth, nutty, and chocolatey. Vietnamese coffee is stronger, darker, and more bitter. It’s often combined with condensed milk to counteract these bold notes.
6. How Many Types of Coffee Exist?
There are over 100 different species of Coffea (coffee plants). However, only a handful are used to brew coffee. The two most consumed varieties are arabica and robusta — making up over 98% of global production.
7. What’s the Best Coffee for Espresso?
The best coffee for making espresso is dark roast arabica or an arabica-rich blend such as Saigon OG (arabica, robusta, and peaberry). Opt for a 100% arabica for a lighter, fruitier espresso and a blend for a darker, bolder shot.
8. What’s the Best Coffee for Making Drip Coffee?
Medium roast arabica or a well-balanced blend of arabica and robusta are classic choices for making drip coffee. Single-origin coffees from Colombia, Ethiopia, or Vietnam are prized for their distinct flavor profiles.
9. What is Blonde Roast Coffee?
Blonde roast coffee is a light roast that’s roasted for slightly longer (somewhere between light and medium). It’s mild, slightly sweet, and floral. Its bright flavor profile is favored in iced coffee and cold brews.
10. What is French Roast Coffee?
French roast coffee is an extremely dark roast with a smoky, bold flavor and low acidity. The beans appear almost black in color and have a shiny surface due to the amount of oil released during the roasting process. They have a bittersweet, almost charred taste.
