Liberia. The mysterious "sister" of Arabica and Robusta

    Tell me, did you value Liberica coffee? Most likely not, but you've probably heard something about this variety, right?

Liberica is the third most popular variety after Arabica and Robusta, and today we will understand the secret of this "elusive" coffee.

• Where does it grow?

    This type of coffee was discovered in Liberia in West Africa, and therefore received this name. But over time, it became most popular in Southeast Asia: the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is grown quite a bit. In general, liberica makes up only 2% of the world's coffee, and 90% of all coffee produced in Malaysia is made up of it.

• Taste and aroma

    You will never find Liberica on sale in "pure" form. The fact is that the grain has a very faint taste and a small amount of caffeine. But the aroma is another matter. It is usually rich, dense, may even surpass Arabica. Therefore, liberica is added to a mixture of coffee (blends). And yet, this variety can be found in confectionery.

• What is special?

    Demand for liberica increased in the late 19th century. This is explained by the fact that around the world there was an epidemic of coffee leaf rust (a disease of coffee plants that affects the crop). Plants of the Arabica variety suffered, but Liberica was resistant to this disease.

    Interestingly, the flowers of liberica smell intensely of jasmine. Therefore, if you dry them and brew, you can get an incredible "jasmine" tea.

• The future of Liberia

    Liberica is almost never exported. Most are used directly on site, in South Asia and Africa. And its popularity is gradually growing. Local availability makes liberica much cheaper than imported arabica, and new grain processing methods that farmers are experimenting with give it a sweet, fruity note. It is even rumored that liberica is characterized by the aroma of jackfruit (the fruit of the breadfruit tree).