Robusta and Arabica

The two generally commercially developed species of the coffea sow with the intention of yield the coffee beans used to get on to the coffee with the intention of the world's population consumes, are Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee is made from the top level coffee beans from the arabica coffea sow. These top level arabica coffea plants are typically developed by very distinguished altitudes (above 3000ft) with ideal soil and climate conditions. The coffee beans produced be inflicted with fuller flavors, are more aromatic, and be inflicted with a reduced amount of caffeine in them than other varieties of coffee beans such as Robustas. The coffee beans of arabica coffea plants developed by decrease altitudes are still prominent amongst consumers as having richer flavors than the flavors produced by Robusta coffee beans, but it is single the top level arabica coffee beans with the intention of are considered to be Gourmet, and so from which gastronome coffee is derived.

Some coffee bean varieties are so well-known and so in-demand that they are far more expensive than others. Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona coffees are perhaps the most prominent examples. Often these coffee beans are blended with other, less expensive coffee beans and the suffix "blend" added to the labelling, such as "Blue Mountain blend" or "Kona blend" even though they only contain a small amount of the coffee bean mentioned.

One unusual and very expensive variety of robusta is the Indonesian Kopi Luwak and the Philippine Kape Alamid. The coffee bean is collected from the droppings of the Common Palm Civet, whose digestive processes give it a distinctive flavor.

A coffee bean from two different places usually have distinctive characteristics such as flavor (flavor criteria includes terms such as "citrus-like" or "earthy"), caffeine content, body or mouthfeel, and acidity. These are dependent on the local environment where the coffee plants are grown, their method of process, and the genetic subspecies or varietal.