Arabica Or Robusta?

There are more than 100 different varieties of coffee, but Arabica and Robusta are the two most commonly consumed types of coffee, making up almost the entire international coffee industry (a third type, Liberica, is grown in the Philippines and rarely exported). Arabica and Robusta beans are two types of coffee beans with their own unique qualities and purposes. The differences between arabica and robusta beans can be compared to a type of tomato – cherry tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes. The general differences are related to flavor characteristics, conditions under which the beans are grown, and cost. To broaden your knowledge in this area, I propose to consider the key differences between these two types.

The taste of arabica

Perhaps the most obvious difference between Arabica and Robusta is the taste. Both types of beans are grown differently, but more on that later.

So, Arabica has a wide range of flavors – from sweet and mild to sharp and tart. Arabica coffee beans have a smell that resembles blueberries and other aromatic fruits when dry or semi-dry processing is used. The smell of roasted beans resembles a perfume with fruity notes and sweet tones, especially the smell of “white” coffee beans (these are specially roasted or dried coffee beans of different varieties), if you buy Arabica coffee beans, the incredible sweetish smell of Arabica will break out of the closed package.

Robusta tastes from neutral to sharp. Most often, robusta has a pronounced flavor described as burnt rubber or raw peanuts, which is the description that most accurately conveys the smell of unroasted robusta. Why does it have such a specific taste? One of the reasons why the taste of robusta is not as good as we would like is the high caffeine content compared to Arabica. This may seem like a positive quality, but caffeine imparts a bitter taste that makes coffee not a very pleasant drink.

Coffee growing conditions

A significant difference between Arabica and Robusta is the conditions in which they grow.
Arabica requires special attention – a cool subtropical climate, plenty of moisture, fertile soil, shade and sun. The grains are susceptible to attacks by various pests and are extremely vulnerable to cold and maltreatment. An important factor is the height of cultivation – it is good if it is at least 900 meters above sea level.

Robusta, on the other hand, is grown at low altitudes from 200 to 800 meters and is less demanding on climatic conditions. The Robusta fruit is harder and therefore more durable and less susceptible to annoying insects. This coffee variety produces more finished products at a lower cost of production.

The very richness of flavor characteristics directly depends on the height at which the two species grow. Arabica grows higher – plants at higher altitudes grow more slowly due to the harsher climate. The slower growth of the plant “gives rise” to more refined flavors when processed, roasted and ground.

Caffeine content in arabica and robusta

Do you think there is more caffeine in Arabica or Robusta? Surprisingly, most people will say “arabica”, but the correct answer is “robusta”, which does have a higher caffeine content. Robusta is quite often used in instant coffee and as a blending additive to give the coffee blend an extra “kick”.

In fact, Robusta contains about 2.7% caffeine, which is critically higher than the less than 1% caffeine content of highland Arabica.

This is a very important factor, because it is in caffeine – quantity does not mean quality, a single intake of a large amount of caffeine is perceived by the body as a poison, and the body triggers protective functions to quickly remove caffeine from the body – mainly the production of cortisol (stress hormone), side effects also appear – drowsiness, trembling in the limbs, sweating, etc. in general, not the effect that people expect when brewing coffee.

Arabica with less than 1% caffeine stimulates the production of serotonin (or the hormone of happiness), which definitely has a more positive effect on the body, well-being and efficiency at work.

Physical characteristics of coffee

Robusta is usually more round in shape and darker in color. While Arabica is usually light brown in color and more oval than round.

Arabica is sweeter

Arabica coffee contains almost twice as much fructose as Robusta, as evidenced by the more bitter taste of Robusta, meaning that Arabica is usually sweeter than Robusta – which is why many coffee drinkers prefer the sweeter flavor of Arabica. This factor is also likely to have a large influence on why many coffee drinkers prefer the sweet taste of Arabica to the more pungent flavor of Robusta. In addition, Arabica coffee also has more variations in aroma and flavor in the bean than Robusta – fruit, chocolate, nut and other notes are found in Arabica coffee, but almost never in Robusta.

Growing Arabica and Robusta coffee

Approximately 75% of the world’s coffee production is Arabica, and the remaining 25% is Robusta. Brazil is the largest producer of Arabica in the world (by the way, there is no higher grade of coffee in Brazil, only the “third” grade is globally known as Brazil), and Vietnam is the largest producer of Robusta.
In the United States, for example, you will find Arabica in cafes and specialty food stores, while Robusta is more likely to be found on the lower shelves in supermarkets.

In general, it’s easier to remember that the best coffees are only Arabica or pure blends of premium Arabica.

However, Robusta is also included in the blends, but only for one purpose – it significantly reduces production costs. For example, in the 1900s, the quality of coffee slowly deteriorated as companies tried to add more Robusta to their coffee blends in the hope of reducing their costs and increasing their profits.

Interestingly, each of these characteristics suggests that Arabica is a better type of coffee, and it definitely is. However, Robusta has also found its place in the coffee world. For example, almost all instant coffee is made from Robusta. In the instant coffee industry, the main factor that determines consumer choice is price. Therefore, manufacturers use a cheaper type of coffee – robusta.
Robusta can often be found in coffee blends, in particular, Italian-style blends, the second advantage of robusta (after cheapness) is that it produces a rich, dense foam, but at the expense of the taste, which has a hellish bitterness.

By the way, robusta usually has a very similar taste (and properties) compared to low-grade Arabica.