Introduction to Coffee Liberica and Excelsa Beans

Liberica Coffee

Coffee Liberica is the third most popular coffee bean species in the world. It originated in West and Central Africa, Liberia and Uganda.  But today, it has been naturalized in French Polynesia, Colombia, Malaysia, Venezuela, Central America, Brazil, and the Philippines. The Liberica coffee has a fruity and floral flavor and it has a woody taste.

Unfortunately, the Liberica Coffee plant is currently endangered. And it is somewhat difficult to find one commercially. But it’s not always the case. So grab a cup of your favorite coffee and let us tell you a little bit of something about the Liberica Coffee.

History of Liberica Coffee

The first plantation of the Liberica plant was in Liberia in 1864 but its cultivation can be traced back to 1792. During the 1890s there is a disease that struck the coffee plants called coffee rust. It destroyed over ninety percent of Arabica coffee worldwide. The Liberica coffee was planted to replace all of the Arabica plants that were lost because of the coffee rust. And because of this, the Liberica coffee became a major crop in the Philippines because it’s soil and climate is just right to be able to grow this. Back at that time, the Philippines was still a territory of the United States of America. That is why the Philippines became one of the major supplier of coffee in America. And during that time, most of the original US coffee brands and blends contained a heaping quantity of Philippine Liberica coffee.

Where does it grow?

coffee often grows in midland under warm and humid conditions. The plant grows best if it’s under the shade and on soils that are well-drained. The Liberica plant usually grows to about 900 meters to 1300 meters high. Its seeds take about fifty days to germinate and it takes about 5 to 6 years before the plant starts to bear fruit. After this, flowering and fruiting can take place throughout the year. And the Liberica fruit can take 10 to 12 months to mature. The coffee berries do not mature at the same time that is why hand-picking them is the best way to harvest the fruit, by doing this you will be able to pick the ripe coffee berries from the green and over mature ones. The Liberica coffee plant can be harvested twice a year.

Excelsa Coffee

Excelsa Coffee used to be considered a unique species of coffee but experts recently re-classified it as a variety of Liberica Coffee. The Excelsa beans grow in large trees in medium altitudes and they are mostly found in Southeast Asia. Excelsa coffee accounts for almost seven percent of the world’s coffee production Its coffee beans also look like the beans of the Liberica plant but only smaller.

Excelsa coffee has a distinctive flavor that tastes like a tart or a ripened fruit. It is often mixed with Robusta and Arabica because it creates complexity and character to the coffee blend.

Health Benefits

When turned in to a beverage, Liberica beans can have positive effects on our immune system. It can also boost energy and improve your mood. Studies also show that drinking Liberica coffee can lessen your chance of having heart disease and Alzheimer’s. In the Philippines, Liberica Coffee or the “Kapeng Barako” is also used as an ingredient to a body scrub because it also rejuvenates and cleanses the skin.

If you became curious about Liberica and Excelsa coffee after reading this article, don’t worry because you can buy one online here. So you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Want to know even more about all the types of coffee?  Check out this awesome infographic from IlluminatingFacts.com on all the different types of coffee!

Different Types of Coffeee