Excelsa Coffee: What It Is, Taste, Caffeine and Excelsa vs Liberica

Excelsa coffee comes from a Central African coffee plant, long classified as a variety of Liberica (Coffea liberica var. dewevrei) and now treated by Kew scientists as its own species, Coffea dewevrei. It makes up about 6% of the Philippine coffee harvest. The Philippine Coffee Board describes the cup as full-bodied, tart and fruity but dark, and it is often used in blends to add complexity.

In this guide

• What is Excelsa coffee?
• Is Excelsa a type of Liberica?
• Where Excelsa is grown in the Philippines
• What does Excelsa taste like?
• How much caffeine is in Excelsa?
• Excelsa vs Liberica (barako) vs Robusta vs Arabica
• Why Excelsa is getting attention
• How to brew Excelsa
• Best beans and grind if you like Excelsa
• FAQ

What is Excelsa coffee?

Excelsa is one of the four coffee types grown commercially in the Philippines, alongside Robusta, Arabica and Liberica (kapeng barako). The Department of Agriculture describes Excelsa as having berries bigger than Arabica but smaller than Liberica, and as more drought- and pest-resistant than the other types.

The plant is native to Central Africa. A 2025 study led by scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, places its wild range in the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda. It was introduced to Asia and is grown in the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and India.

Excelsa is a small player worldwide. The Associated Press, reporting on Excelsa farming in South Sudan in 2025, noted that it makes up less than 1% of the global coffee market, far behind Arabica and Robusta.

Is Excelsa a type of Liberica?

It depends on which classification you follow:

• Before 2006: botanists treated Excelsa as a separate species, under names such as Coffea excelsa and Coffea dewevrei.
• 2006: a taxonomic review of the coffee genus by Davis, Govaerts, Bridson and Stoffelen (Kew) grouped these names under Liberica as Coffea liberica var. dewevrei. Many references and reviews, including a 2026 scientific review of Liberica coffee, still use this name.
• 2025: a study in Nature Plants, using genomic, plant and distribution data, split Coffea liberica into three species: C. liberica (upper West Africa), C. dewevrei (Excelsa, Central Africa) and C. klainei.

In the coffee trade, the name you will see on bags is simply Excelsa. In the Philippines, kapeng barako is Liberica, not Excelsa, although the two are related and grow in some of the same areas. You can usually tell the beans apart: Excelsa beans are rounder and about 5 to 12 mm long, close to Arabica in size, while Liberica beans are larger and more elongated, about 10 to 18 mm.

Where Excelsa is grown in the Philippines

In the Department of Agriculture’s 2020 figures, Excelsa accounted for about 3,712 tonnes of dried coffee cherries out of roughly 60,640 tonnes nationally, about 6% of the harvest, from about 7,430 hectares of farms. That makes it the third-largest coffee type in the country, well ahead of Liberica (under 1%). The Department of Agriculture notes that Excelsa was mostly produced in ARMM (now BARMM) and Davao Region.

The Philippine Coffee Board lists Excelsa among the coffees of CALABARZON (about 300–500 m above sea level), MIMAROPA and Mindanao, and says it commonly grows in the mountains of Batangas, Quezon and Sorsogon in Luzon. So most Excelsa comes from Mindanao, but it also grows in the Southern Luzon provinces known for barako.

What does Excelsa taste like?

The Philippine Coffee Board describes Excelsa as having “a full-bodied and strong flavor profile, often tart, fruity, but dark”. Other descriptions you may come across:

• Fruity and sweet: lab studies found roasted Excelsa contains aroma compounds typical of Arabica, linked to fruity, sweet and tart notes, plus compounds linked to hazelnut, chocolate and smoky notes.
• Balanced acidity: in an Indonesian study, well-processed Excelsa scored above 80 points (specialty grade) on the Specialty Coffee Association scale.
• Less bitter than Robusta: the Associated Press described Excelsa from South Sudan as sweet, with notes of chocolate, dark fruit and hazelnut, closer to Arabica than Robusta but with less bitterness and body.

Because it has this mix of fruit and depth, the Philippine Coffee Board says Excelsa is more popular as a blending coffee, used to add complexity and depth to house blends. Roast level matters: lighter roasts show more of the tart, fruity side, while darker roasts push it towards dark chocolate and woody, smoky notes.

How much caffeine is in Excelsa?

Excelsa does not have more caffeine than ordinary coffee. A 2026 scientific review of the Liberica group (which in that review includes Excelsa) reported these typical caffeine levels in green coffee beans (dry weight):

So Excelsa has about the same caffeine as Arabica or barako and roughly half that of Robusta. If you want the biggest caffeine kick, choose Robusta.

Excelsa vs Liberica (barako) vs Robusta vs Arabica

Excelsa vs Liberica in one line: both belong to the Liberica group and are often confused, but Excelsa has smaller, rounder beans and is usually described as tart and fruity, while Liberica (barako) is known for a pungent, smoky or woody cup. Read more in our guides to kapeng barako, Robusta, Arabica and the coffee types grown in the Philippines.

Why Excelsa is getting attention

World coffee relies on Arabica and Robusta, and both are under pressure from heat and drought. Researchers now see Excelsa as an alternative:

• Heat and drought: the 2025 Nature Plants study reports that Excelsa can produce commercially viable crops under higher temperatures and longer dry spells than Robusta.
• Expanding farms: the same study notes that Excelsa growing is expanding in Uganda, South Sudan, Guinea, India, Vietnam and Indonesia, in response to worsening conditions for Arabica and Robusta.
• Research and farmer support: Kew runs a project on the climate resilience and crop potential of Excelsa and Liberica, focused on Excelsa in Uganda, with work across Africa and Asia.

How to brew Excelsa

Use lighter-roast Excelsa to taste its fruit, and darker roasts or blends for a bolder cup. Start here and adjust to taste:

1. Pour-over or drip: about 15 g medium-ground coffee per 250 ml water just off the boil (about 1:16). Best for lighter roasts and fruity notes.
2. French press: 15 g coarse-ground coffee per 250 ml hot water; steep 4 minutes, then press.
3. Moka pot: fine-to-medium grind; fill the basket level without tamping; brew on medium heat and remove when it starts to gurgle.
4. Espresso: fine grind; about 18 g coffee for a double shot of about 36 g. Excelsa is usually blended for espresso; on its own it has less body than Robusta.
5. Cold brew: steep coarse-ground coffee in cold water (about 1:8) for 12 to 18 hours, then dilute to taste.

Use our coffee-to-water ratio chart to scale up, and see our beginner’s guide to espresso at home.

Best beans and grind if you like Excelsa

We don’t roast a single-origin Excelsa yet. These are the closest matches from our roastery:

Not sure which to pick? Take our Coffee Match Quiz, ask for a free coffee sample, or try single cups with our coffee drip bags (₱240 per box of 10).

Where to buy Excelsa coffee in the Philippines

Single-origin Excelsa is still uncommon in Philippine shops, and labels are not always precise: researchers note that Liberica and Excelsa are often mixed up in parts of Asia. When you find a bag labelled Excelsa, check the origin (province or farm), the roast date and whether it is 100% Excelsa or a blend. For barako, our Kapeng Barako Coffee Beans are 100% Batangas Liberica, dark roasted daily, in 200 g, 400 g, 800 g and 1 kg bags, with same-day delivery in Metro Manila for orders by 3 PM and nationwide courier delivery. Cafés can buy barako in 10 kg wholesale boxes at ₱816 per kilo. See our guide to choosing coffee beans.

Frequently asked questions

What is Excelsa coffee?

Excelsa is a coffee from Central Africa, long classified as a variety of Liberica (Coffea liberica var. dewevrei) and recognised in 2025 as its own species, Coffea dewevrei. It is about 6% of the Philippine coffee harvest and is known for a tart, fruity but dark cup.

Is Excelsa the same as Liberica?

No. They are close relatives and were grouped together as one species from 2006, but a 2025 Kew-led study recognises Excelsa as a separate species, Coffea dewevrei. Excelsa beans are smaller and rounder, and kapeng barako is Liberica, not Excelsa.

Is Excelsa coffee strong?

It can taste strong: the Philippine Coffee Board describes it as full-bodied, tart and fruity but dark. But it is not high in caffeine. Excelsa has about the same caffeine as Arabica and roughly half that of Robusta.

Where is Excelsa grown in the Philippines?

Mostly in Mindanao: in 2020 the largest producers were ARMM (now BARMM) and Davao Region, followed by SOCCSKSARGEN, CALABARZON and Northern Mindanao. The Philippine Coffee Board also lists Excelsa in Batangas, Quezon, Sorsogon and MIMAROPA.

Does Excelsa have less caffeine?

Less than Robusta, yes. A 2026 review of the Liberica group, which includes Excelsa, reported about 0.94 to 1.24 g of caffeine per 100 g of green beans, similar to Arabica (about 1.19 g) and about half of Robusta (about 2.14 g).

Is Excelsa good for espresso?

It is mostly used in espresso as part of a blend, where it adds complexity and fruity notes. On its own it has less body than Robusta, so for a classic thick-crema shot, blend it with Robusta or choose an Arabica-Robusta blend.

References

• Department of Agriculture, Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap 2021–2025 (2020 production and area by coffee type and region; description of Excelsa)
• Philippine Coffee Board, The Beginner’s Guide to the Main Types of Coffee (Excelsa taste, blending, growing areas) and Philippine Coffee (regions and elevations)
• Davis, Govaerts, Bridson & Stoffelen (2006), An annotated taxonomic conspectus of the genus Coffea (Rubiaceae), Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
• Nature Plants (2025), study dividing Coffea liberica into C. liberica, C. dewevrei (excelsa) and C. klainei (native range, climate tolerance, expanding cultivation)
• Davis et al. (2022), The re-emergence of Liberica coffee as a major crop plant, Nature Plants
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Excelsa and Liberica coffee development
• Febrianto & Zhu (2026), Unlocking the Quality Potential of Liberoid Coffee, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (caffeine, bean size, aroma compounds, cup scores)
• Associated Press via Chicago Sun-Times (March 3, 2025), This rare coffee bean may someday be your new brew
• Daily Coffee News (August 3, 2026), Climate Pressures Bring New Attention to Excelsa Coffee

Last updated October 2, 2026.