Philippine Liberica Coffee
Jackfruit, dark chocolate and a woody, smoky edge from the sturdy coffee the Philippines calls barako.
A Liberica coffee from Batangas, the home of Philippine kapeng barako. Its beans are large and hook-tipped, and the cup is bold and aromatic, with jackfruit, dark chocolate, a woody, smoky edge and a hint of aniseed.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 89 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.1 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | French Press |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 18g → 300g |
| Grind size | Medium-coarse |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 4:00 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 18 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted
- 300 g filtered water at 93°C
Required gear
- French press
- Burr grinder
- Kettle
- Scale
- Timer
- Long spoon for the crust
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Pre-heat the press, then add 18 g ground medium-coarse.
- 0:00Pour 300 g of water at 93°C in one go and start the timer. Fit the lid without plunging.
- 4:00Break the crust with a spoon and skim off the foam and floating grounds.
- 4:00Press slowly — if it resists, stop pressing rather than forcing it.
- 4:05Decant every drop immediately into a warmed vessel. Coffee left on the grounds keeps extracting.
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 89 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Not arabica, not robusta
Liberica is a separate coffee species, so it does not taste like either of the usual two. Expect something bigger and wilder than a typical arabica, and give it a few cups to get used to it.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A Liberica coffee from Batangas, the home of Philippine kapeng barako. Its beans are large and hook-tipped, and the cup is bold and aromatic, with jackfruit, dark chocolate, a woody, smoky edge and a hint of aniseed. Brewed in a French press at 93°C.
Origin & Story
Most of the world's coffee comes from two species, arabica and robusta. A third, Coffea liberica, is a rarity, and in the Philippines it has its own name: kapeng barako. Barako means stud, a word with a lot of macho swagger in Filipino, and it suits a coffee with a strong flavor and a fragrance often compared to aniseed.
Liberica beans look different too. They are large and lopsided, with one side shorter than the other, which gives each bean a little hook at the tip.
Batangas is where the story is told. A Franciscan friar planted the first coffee tree in Lipa, Batangas, in the early 1700s, and the town became the heart of Philippine coffee. By 1880 the Philippines was the fourth-largest coffee exporter in the world. Then in 1889 coffee rust, a fungus, reached the islands. Within two years output had fallen to a sixth of what it had been, and the plantations of Batangas were almost wiped out. Kapeng barako is the coffee the region kept, and it is still grown in Lipa and in neighboring Cavite.
Today barako is a small part of the picture. It makes up less than 2 percent of the coffee grown commercially, and the Philippines, which drinks far more coffee than it grows, imports much of what it consumes. Slow Food has listed barako in its Ark of Taste, a catalogue of endangered heritage foods.
It is traditionally served black or sweetened with muscovado sugar, which suits its strong character. In a French press it is dense and aromatic: jackfruit and dark chocolate, with a woody, smoky edge. Use water at 93°C, a medium-coarse grind and 18 g of coffee to 300 g of water, and steep for four minutes.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 86/100 |
| Acidity | 54/100 |
| Bitterness | 28/100 |
| Body | 84/100 |
| Aroma | 96/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Philippine Liberica Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 89 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Philippine Liberica Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F).
How long should Philippine Liberica Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 4:00. Method: French Press. Ratio: 60g/L (18g coffee to 300g water). Grind or leaf format: Medium-coarse.
What is kapeng barako?
It is the Philippine name for Liberica coffee, grown mainly in Batangas and Cavite. Barako means stud, and the coffee is known for a strong flavor and a fragrance often compared to aniseed.
Why does Liberica taste so different?
It is a different species from arabica and robusta, with large, lopsided beans and an aroma people describe as fruity, woody and spicy. That is why it is worth trying even if you are used to arabica.
Who should avoid Philippine Liberica Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Bodum Chambord French Press
In this recipe: French press
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