liberica
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Posted: October 09, 2019Categories: The Bean
Read more »It’s common knowledge that most of the coffee beans produced commercially come from two varieties: Arabica and Robusta. But did you know that there are actually other lesser-known varieties of coffee bean? One of them is Liberica, which accounts for less than 2% of commercially-produced coffee worldwide. In this article, we’ll tell you all you need to know about the world’s rarest type of coffee.
What’s so special about Liberica?
[caption id="attachment_7483" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
A Liberica coffee bean (middle) flanked by Arabica beans. Liberica beans are larger and irregular in shape compared to Arabica beans. Photo from Fernando Medrano[/caption] Originating from Liberia in West Africa, the Liberica coffee plant produces larger, irregular-shaped cherries compared to Arabica plants. It’s said to have a floral and fruity aroma, but when made into coffee, has a full-bodied, woody taste. Those who have been lucky enough to try Liberica coffee say it tastes unlike any coffee they’ve had before. Thanks to its complex flavour profile, Liberica beans are often added to coffee blends to give it more dimension. [caption id="attachment_7486" align="alignn
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Posted: September 25, 2019Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »Like every morning across Southeast Asia and most parts of the world, the day begins at a common gathering place — the local coffee joint.
On one end of the neighbourhood, a horde of early morning workers flock to the nearest kopitiam to begin their day with an extra jolt of energy. They would shout their order to the hawkers — a choice of kopi (black coffee with condensed milk), kopi o (black coffee with sugar), kopi c (coffee with evaporated milk and sugar), or kopi o kaw (extra strong).
Take a turn to the next block and you’ll chance upon a row of artsy cafés, drawing in the ever-curious coffee aficionados every day. Baristas clad in crisp uniforms take the place of hawkers in a Pagoda singlet, sock-like sieves are replaced by state-of-the-art machines with glossy levers and handles, and the menu now includes a fancy selection (Piccolo Latte, anyone?).
Travel to other parts of Southeast Asia and you’ll see that starting the day with coffee is a tradition that still holds strong. So how does the coffee culture evolve around Southeast Asian countries? Let’s find out.
Singapore — Kopi
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Posted: July 03, 2019Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »Have you ever wondered what sets specialty coffee apart from your usual cup o’ joe? First off, there are generally two kinds of coffee: commercial coffee and specialty coffee. Commercial coffee is the glass jars of instant coffee that you typically find in the supermarket or that strong kopi that you enjoy at your local kopitiam.
When it comes to commercial coffee, not much is known about where the beans were grown and the taste is pretty uniform and predictable.
But oh, when it comes to specialty coffee… it is borne from the labour of each and every person that played a part in getting that coffee from tree to cup, with a variety of flavours to choose from.
As a term, “specialty coffee” was first coined in 1974 by Erna Knutsen in an issue of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal to describe beans of the best flavour which are produced in special microclimates. Follow us on the journey your specialty coffee takes to discover why it deserves to be called “special”.
The Bean
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Posted: November 07, 2018Categories: The Bean
Read more »In the Philippines, coffee is the most consumed beverage after water. A 2015 study by research firm Kantar Worldpanel found that coffee is a staple drink for Filipinos, who have shifted from being moderate to heavy coffee drinkers. This probably isn’t a surprise for those in metro Manila and other urbanised areas, which are chock-full of coffee houses ranging from big chains to boutique cafes. But the country’s coffee culture has surprisingly old roots, and some aspects of it – including the elusive and endangered form of Liberia, kapeng barako – are not well known.
Kapeng Barako: Origins
A coffee varietal that belongs to the species Coffea liberica, kapeng barako is grown in the Philippines, predominantly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. The term barako refers to Philippine liberica. The liberica is one of four identified species of coffee, along with robusta, excelsa and arabica. Of these, liberica has the biggest cherries and therefore, produces bigger beans. The story of barako in the Philippines dates back 200 years, when it was first planted in a place called Lipa City in Batangas. Coffee had only recently been introduced to the country by a Franciscan friar but it quickly grew into a thriving industry. Subsequently, the Philippines became a key coffee producer. In the Philippines, “barako” is a name g
