Types of Coffee Beans: The Complete Guide

There are four types of coffee beans: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa. Two of them, Arabica and Robusta, make up almost all the coffee you have ever drunk. The other two are worth knowing about, but you are unlikely to see them on a supermarket shelf.

Here is what actually separates them, and how to use that to pick your next bag.

Key Takeaways

• Four species exist: Arabica and Robusta dominate the market. Liberica and Excelsa are niche.

• Arabica and Robusta differ mainly on flavour and caffeine: Arabica is smoother and lower caffeine. Robusta is bolder and roughly double the caffeine.

• Growing conditions shape flavour: Altitude, climate and processing method all leave a mark on the cup, on top of the species itself.

How many types of coffee beans are there?

Four species are grown commercially, though only two matter for most drinkers.

Arabica accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent of global production, per the National Coffee Association. It grows best at high altitude in cooler climates and produces a smoother, more complex cup with higher acidity.

Robusta makes up most of the rest. It thrives at lower altitudes in hot, humid conditions, carries close to double Arabica's caffeine, and delivers a bolder, more bitter flavour with a thicker crema.

Liberica and Excelsa are rare, grown mainly in the Philippines, Malaysia and parts of Southeast Asia. Liberica has a distinct, polarising woody flavour. Excelsa is often blended in small amounts to add depth and a slight tartness to a cup.

Coffee bean types at a glance

Bean type	Share of world production	Flavour	Best for	Nicolas' Rating
Arabica	60–70%	Smooth, complex, higher acidity	Espresso, pour-over, everyday drinking	Our default recommendation
Robusta	30–40%	Bold, bitter, thicker crema	Vietnamese-style, strong espresso blends	Best for a real caffeine hit
Liberica	Small niche	Woody, polarising	Adventurous single-origin exploring	Worth trying once
Excelsa	Very small niche	Tart, adds depth to blends	Blend components, rarely sold alone	Hard to find, not essential

What's the difference between Arabica and Robusta?

Beyond caffeine and flavour, Arabica beans are oval with a curved crease, while Robusta beans are rounder with a straighter one. Arabica also needs cooler, higher-altitude growing conditions, which makes it more expensive and harder to farm at scale.

Nicolas' Verdict: If you're only ever going to remember one distinction, remember this: Robusta isn't "worse," it's just built for a different job. Reach for it when you want maximum strength, and reach for Arabica when you want nuance.

For the full breakdown, including a side-by-side on quality, price and health effects, read our dedicated guide on Arabica v Robusta coffee.

Where are these beans grown, and does it matter?

Origin changes the cup as much as the species does. Ethiopian and Kenyan beans lean bright and fruity. Brazilian and Indonesian beans lean low-acid, chocolatey and full-bodied. Our guide to coffee-growing regions covers the full picture if you want to explore further.

Single-origin coffee comes from one specific farm or region and showcases those local characteristics directly. Blended coffee combines beans from multiple origins to hit a consistent, balanced flavour every batch, which is why most everyday blends you'll find are exactly that: a blend.

Which bean suits your brewing method?

Origin and roast level both change how a bean performs in different brewers, so the right pick depends on what's in your kitchen.

Espresso and Moka Pot reward a darker, bolder bean like Primo Forte or a Brazilian-leaning blend, since the concentrated brew needs body to come through. Pour-over and filter brewing suit a lighter, brighter bean, Kenyan or Colombian origins in particular, because the slower extraction lets that acidity and complexity shine. French press sits in the middle: an Ethiopian or Sumatran bean gives you a full-bodied cup without losing the brew's natural clarity. If cold brew is your method, our dedicated guide on the best coffee beans for cold brew covers that one in full.

Does roast level change which bean you should buy?

Roast level matters more than most people expect. A light roast preserves more of the bean's original acidity and fruit character. A dark roast, like our Primo Forte, breaks down more of those acids during roasting, landing smoother and lower in acidity. We cover exactly how that works, and what it means if coffee upsets your stomach, in our guide on whether coffee is acidic.

Freshness matters just as much as roast level. Buy whole beans, store them in an airtight container away from light and heat, and grind just before brewing. Our full guide on how to store coffee beans covers this in more depth if freshness is what's letting your coffee down.

Continued: Keen to know more about coffee bean acidity? Read our dedicated blog article here.

How do you choose the right beans for your brew?

Match the bean to what you actually want from your cup. Want an everyday, smooth, low-intensity coffee you can drink all day? Start with Primo Maestro Arabica, our 100 percent Arabica blend built for exactly that.

Want maximum strength for a proper wake-up call? Our Robusta coffee beans collection, or a dark blend like Primo Forte, will get you there. If strength specifically is your priority, our guide on the best coffee beans for strong coffee breaks down every option.

FAQs about coffee bean types

1. Are coffee beans actually beans?

No. They're the seeds of the coffee cherry, a fruit that grows on the coffee plant. They're called beans purely because of their shape.

2. What's the rarest type of coffee bean you can buy?

Liberica and Excelsa are both genuinely hard to find outside specialty retailers in Southeast Asia. Most commercial coffee, including everything in our range, is Arabica, Robusta, or a blend of the two.

3. Is single-origin coffee better than a blend?

Neither is objectively better. Single-origin shows off one region's specific character, while a well-made blend gives you a more consistent, balanced cup every time you brew it.

4. Do all coffee beans contain caffeine?

Yes, every coffee species contains caffeine naturally. Decaf beans go through a separate process afterwards to remove most, though not all, of it.

5. How do I know which roast to buy?

Start with what you're brewing. Espresso and Moka Pot suit a darker roast, while pour-over and filter methods let a lighter roast's acidity and complexity come through properly.

Finding your bean

So, how many types of coffee beans are there? Four, though in practice your choice really comes down to Arabica or Robusta, and from there, origin and roast level do the rest of the work.

If you're not sure where to start, our full coffee beans range is built around exactly that decision, led by Maestro Arabica for an easy, everyday cup.

Shop the Coffee Beans Range

Additional Reading

If you're keen to keep reading up on Primo Caffe's range of content on coffee beans at large, find some quick access links below. Happy reading!

• What Is Chicory Coffee?
• Is Coffee Acidic?
• Arabica Coffee v Robusta Coffee
• What Are the Best Coffee Beans for Strong Coffee?
• What Is Single Origin Coffee?
• How To Store Coffee Beans

---

About the Author

Nicolas Di Stefano is a third-generation Master Roaster and Director of Primo Caffe. With decades of family tradition behind him, Nicolas combines time-honoured Italian roasting techniques with a passion for quality, delivering delicious coffee that Australians expect.