Here are a few important varieties to be aware of, either because they are very common or because they are highly valued by coffee roasters and drinkers. You can find all of these varieties in Counter Culture Coffee offerings throughout the year: 

Typica

Typica is one of two parent varieties of coffee cultivars and has been selectively bred for more than 500 years. Typica has mutated and been cross-bred across the world It’s still widely planted in Peru, Mexico, Indonesia, and Jamaica, to name a few countries.

The Typica variety is sweet, mild, and approachable. Notes of chocolate and nut take center stage, complemented by hints of spice. Typica’s acidity is mild and balanced, conjuring dried fruit and dark stone fruit, such as black cherry and plum.

Bourbon

Named for an island off the coast of Madagascar, Bourbon is one of the world's most culturally and genetically important arabica varieties. Bourbon is a parent of numerous other coffee varieties.

Bourbon delivers brown sugar-like sweetness, fruit notes like cherry and peach, and a round body.

Caturra

Caturra is a genetic mutation of Bourbon, first identified outside of a village called Caturra in Brazil. This variety was selected and cultivated for its smaller plant size and higher level of production compared to Bourbon.

Caturra tastes similar to Bourbon, but is somewhat brighter.

Gesha

Gesha is an Ethiopian variety, selected from the Gori Gesha forest in the southwestern part of the country. The variety was originally collected from coffee forests in Ethiopia in the 1930s and then distributed to Panama in the 1960s. Gesha coffees are very highly valued because of their rarity, production costs, and flavor.

This coffee is light, bright, and floral, with tea-like characteristics not usually found in coffee.

Catuai

Catuai is a cross between highly productive Mundo Novo and compact Caturra, bred by the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) of Sao Paulo State in Campinas, Brazil. This variety is prominent throughout Central America—for example, Catuai is the most common variety grown in Honduras.

This coffee pairs perfectly with pie! Brown sugar sweetness combines with notes of pastry and mild, cooked fruit. Nutty flavors like pecan and almond are also common.