What Grade of Coffee Variety is Robusta? Comparing Indian Fine Robusta Coffee Beans with Arabica Flavor Profiles

The greatest characteristic of Robusta is its faster growth rate compared to Arabica and greater resistance to extreme climates. Currently, about 30% of global coffee production is Robusta. FrontStreet Coffee believes that high-quality Robusta tastes better than low-quality Arabica beans. Robusta coffee beans are commonly used in espresso blends to enhance richness and body. For example, FrontStreet Coffee's commercial espresso blend contains 10% Robusta, which creates espresso with a rich, full-bodied texture and abundant crema. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss Robusta coffee beans~

The Origin of Robusta Coffee Beans

Robusta originated in the Congo region of West Africa. We often compare Arabica with Robusta, but this isn't entirely accurate because they belong to different botanical classifications. Robusta actually belongs to the Canephora species, also known as Congensis, similar to how Typica belongs to the Arabica species. However, unfortunately, only one variety within the Canephora species—Robusta—has been commercialized and become well-known, so Robusta has almost completely replaced Canephora as the name for this species.

How to Identify Robusta Coffee Beans

Robusta coffee beans produce one bean per cherry. Robusta beans are more round and C-shaped; the center crease appears as a straight line, and raw beans have a yellowish-brown color.

Advantages of Robusta

Growing Conditions: Global coffee growing regions lie between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and Robusta is no exception. However, Robusta's growing conditions are not as demanding as Arabica's. Robusta can grow at lower altitudes and higher temperatures. It grows faster than Arabica and has higher tolerance to extreme weather conditions. Robusta is widely cultivated in countries like Vietnam, Brazil, and India. Hainan, China also grows Robusta. FrontStreet Coffee often mentions that for refined coffee flavors, two basic conditions are needed: excellent Arabica varieties and high-altitude cultivation. Therefore, due to Robusta's low-altitude cultivation and variety characteristics, its flavor tends to be deeper and more full-bodied.

Pest Resistance: Robusta's caffeine content ranges from 2.7%-4%, twice that of Arabica. Caffeine acts as a natural pesticide for plants, protecting them from most insect damage.

Disease Resistance: Arabica has 44 chromosomes while Robusta has 22. Generally, more chromosomes mean higher genetic complexity and advancement, but Arabica is self-pollinating while Robusta is cross-pollinating. Pollination involves genetics—typically, cross-pollination produces higher-quality plants because offspring inherit genetic traits from both parent plants, potentially developing new characteristics that help survival in changing environments. Therefore, self-pollinating Arabica is quite fragile, with genes becoming increasingly uniform through continuous breeding (without external gene participation). If certain diseases (like leaf rust) appear, they could wipe out coffee plants with identical genes. Robusta's strength lies in its ability to continuously adapt to the environment through genetic changes.

Disadvantages of Robusta

Flavor: As FrontStreet Coffee just mentioned, due to low-altitude cultivation and variety characteristics, Robusta has higher caffeine, amino acid, and chlorogenic acid content compared to Arabica. Chlorogenic acid is the source of bitterness, so Robusta naturally lacks the delicate aromatic fragrance unique to Arabica beans. Instead, it offers a richer, deeper body with flavors of walnut, peanut, hazelnut, wheat, grains, and sometimes even pungent earthy notes. Because of Robusta's inferior flavor, it's often rejected by the specialty coffee community and generally used in blends with Arabica or for instant coffee.

Since Robusta is undemanding about growing conditions and has high disease resistance, while Arabica has relatively rich flavors, are there hybrid varieties of Robusta and Arabica? Yes! Catimor is the hybrid offspring of these two varieties.

Catimor Coffee Variety

Catimor is a combination of Arabica and Robusta species. Robusta has good leaf rust resistance, rich oils, high yield, and easy cultivation. After hybridizing with Arabica's Typica, Catimor gained 25% Robusta genes, improving leaf rust resistance while maintaining rich oils and retaining some of the complex flavors of the original Typica. Catimor is the most widely planted coffee variety in Yunnan. FrontStreet Coffee's Frontsteet Yunnan coffee beans include some Catimor small-bean coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Catimor Small Bean Coffee

Region: Baoshan, Yunnan

Altitude: 1200 meters

Variety: Catimor

Processing: Washed

Washed Processing Method

Due to Yunnan's perennial rainy season and unstable climate, most Yunnan coffee beans use washed processing. Harvested cherries are processed through a depulping machine to separate most fruit flesh from the beans, then parchment beans are guided to a clean water tank and soaked for fermentation to completely remove remaining fruit flesh layers. In the past (about five years ago), washed processing was often the preferred method for high-quality coffee beans.

Through water processing, unripe and defective beans are selected out due to buoyancy differences, and the fermentation process is easier to control. Therefore, unlike natural processed beans that may have impure flavors, washed processing presents bright fruit acidity, slightly more complexity, and cleaner cup characteristics (without any negative flavors like astringency or sharpness).

FrontStreet Coffee's Roasting Recommendations

Yangjia 800N (300g batch size): Preheat roaster to 190°C, heat power at 120, damper at 3. Return temperature at 1'40", when roaster temperature reaches 145°C, open damper to 4, keep heat unchanged. When roaster temperature reaches 166°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration phase. When roaster temperature reaches 188°C, adjust heat to 60, damper to 5.

At 8'37", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toasted bread aroma clearly transforms to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. Listen carefully for first crack sound. First crack begins at 9'00", keep damper unchanged, develop for 3 minutes after first crack, drop at 198°C.

FrontStreet Coffee's Cupping Report

Smooth entry, Asian herbal plant aroma, lively and bright acidity, salivation on both cheeks, soft acidity with good balance between richness and body, rich layers, distinct black chocolate, honey, and cane sugar flavors in aftertaste, with brown sugar flavors when completely cooled.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee recommends a more balanced approach when brewing Yunnan coffee—neither overly highlighting acidity nor excessively modifying the finish. Use 15g coffee grounds, recommended coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 (or 1:16 for clearer flavors), choose Kono dripper, 88°C brewing water temperature to soften acidity, medium-fine grind (fine sugar size, 80% pass-through on #20 sieve).

FrontStreet Coffee's segmented brewing technique: Use 30g water for 30-second bloom, then pour with small circular motion to 125g and segment. When water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time is 2'00" (counting from bloom start).

Brewing flavors: Nutty aroma, herbal notes, chocolate, caramel, with light fruit acidity in aftertaste.

Finally, FrontStreet Coffee wants to talk about specialty Robusta coffee beans—yes, there are specialty Robusta coffee beans too!

India's "Kappi Royale" Robusta: "Kappi Royale" means "top grade." Currently, at least four private coffee estates in India grow and produce "Kappi Royale" grade Robusta coffee beans using specialty Arabica standards and procedures.

The emergence of "Kappi Royale" specialty Robusta is undoubtedly changing the world's perception of Robusta. Most people who taste it are amazed by its combination of thickness and cleanliness. Due to refined cultivation and processing procedures, "Kappi Royale" grade Robusta mostly presents very clean flavors without the disturbing defective flavors of cheap Robusta. Robusta naturally lacks the delicate aromatic fragrance unique to Arabica beans. Instead, it offers a thicker, more stable body with intense walnut, peanut, hazelnut, and wheat flavors reminiscent of peanut butter and hazelnut spreads.

Important Notice :

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