Looking for Liberica

#1: Post by **yakster** » January 18th, 2023, 12:24 am

Looking for good Liberica green coffee for a friend. Any leads?

I found that S-795 "Jember" is a cross of C Liberica and Kent and is common in Indonesian coffee, but not so sure that the characteristics of Jember and Liberica would be that similar.

ChatGPT had this to say (with an AI sized grain of salt): "Jember is a type of coffee bean that is grown in the Jember region of Indonesia. It is a variety of the Coffea arabica plant, and is known for its unique flavor profile. Some people have described the taste as having notes of chocolate, nuts, and citrus. However, it is different from Liberica coffee which is known for its strong, bold, and smoky flavor. Liberica beans are usually grown in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They tend to be less acidic and have a higher caffeine content than Arabica beans."

January 18th, 2023, 10:39 am

There's also a fair amount of Liberica grown in the Philippines. You might try searching for "barako" or "kapeng barako" though you'll find mostly roasted coffee. And yes, there is a brand called Barako-Bama.

As for flavor, you're going to find more fermenty and fruity tastes than anything else. The toughness of the fruit leads to a processing method that is focused more on demaceration than it is on good flavor, and includes soaking the cherry in water for 48 hours or more!

January 18th, 2023, 10:49 am

Thanks, Evan.

#4: Post by **EvanOz85** » January 18th, 2023, 11:52 am

Let us know if ya find some. I've only found maybe two or three pounds of green Liberica over the years and find it very unique and quite tasty.

January 18th, 2023, 12:15 pm

My friend found this good article, I noted that it contradicts ChatGPT's answer above and says that caffeine is lower than Arabica.

https://coffeeaffection.com/liberian-coffee/

#6: Post by **ecc** » January 19th, 2023, 6:50 pm

Recent wired article:
https://www.wired.com/story/liberica-coffee-plants/

#7: Post by **EvanOz85** » January 20th, 2023, 10:38 am

Interesting article. Never got a vegetal taste from the Filipino beans I roasted, but they did exhibit barnyard notes when roasted too lightly. I enjoyed them best right before second crack. From what I understand, though, is that higher grade Liberica in the past could shine at lighter levels too and even give off strong blueberry notes.

January 20th, 2023, 3:18 pm

I read that article in Liberica the other day and did some looking around.

https://www.neworleanscoffeeimports.com/greenbeans

This place has Liberica for $11.50 per lb w/ free shipping after $50. I'm curious as to how good it is but I'm trying to go through my stockpile of greens before buying more.

January 20th, 2023, 3:43 pm

Thanks, I'm in the same boat but I sprung for some anyway and passed the link along to my friend. I also picked up some of the El Salvador Geisha.

#10: Post by **Jonk** » January 20th, 2023, 3:47 pm

Liberica can be great. This is a nice interview with Dr. Steffen Schwartz:

Wish it would be easier to find. Even tried to buy greens on site in The Philippines, but was turned down.

Found some above average roasted beans at least a few years ago: https://www.silcacoffee.com/portfolio-i ... ne-barako/ and can still recall the flavor. Smoky whisky, fruit and barely any acidity.