Coffee Varieties, Explained: Bourbon, Caturra, Gesha and More
· The Angry Roaster
Spotted: a menu full of words like Bourbon, Caturra and SL28, and a customer too polite to ask. Ask away, darling.
Short answer: A coffee variety is a type of coffee plant, the way Pinot Noir and Merlot are types of grape. The variety shapes flavour, but the farmer and the processing matter just as much.
The ones you’ll see most
- Bourbon: One of the oldest. Sweet, balanced, complex
- Typica: The other classic. Clean, with bright acidity
- Caturra: A natural mutation of Bourbon. Compact plant, capable of excellent cups
- Castillo: Bred in Colombia to resist leaf rust. Looked down on by some; we’ve roasted great ones
- SL28 and SL34: The Kenyan pair. SL28 is intense blackcurrant and citrus; SL34 is rounder
- Gesha: Floral and tea-like, famous and expensive
- Sudan Rume: Rare, from wild trees. Floral with stone fruit and a creamy body
Which of ours is which
- Yellow Bourbon: The Mad House
- Caturra: Piña Colada
- SL28 and SL34: Kenya Malaki
- Gesha: Gesha Buesaco
- Sudan Rume: Sudan Rume
- Ethiopian landraces: Kokose Natural
Why it’s worth knowing
Knowing varieties doesn’t make you a better person, and it isn’t a membership test. It’s a map. It helps you work out why one coffee tastes like berries and another like chocolate, so you can find more of what you like.
Quick answers
Is variety the same as origin?
No. Origin is where it grew. Variety is which plant. The same variety tastes different in different places.
Are rare varieties always better?
No. They’re rarer and usually cost more. Whether they’re better is up to you.
What is an heirloom or landrace?
A local, traditional coffee population rather than a single named variety. Many Ethiopian coffees are landraces.
Want to go deeper?
Read about Gesha and Sudan Rume.
Read next: What Is Gesha Coffee? · What Is Sudan Rume Coffee? · Castillo Coffee: Is the 'Boring' Variety Actually Boring?
You know you love it.
xoxo, The Angry Roaster