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Differences Between Arabica Coffee Beans and Other Coffee Beans_ What is Arabica Golden Ratio Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) When we eat apples, we have varieties like red apples, green apples; coffee is the same, coffee also has many varieties, first of all, the two most common major varieties are: Arabica and Robusta! On the market, unless specifically mentioned

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Just as we have different varieties of apples like red apples and green apples, coffee also has many varieties. The two most common major varieties are: Arabica and Robusta!

When it comes to coffee beans on the market, unless specifically stated as Robusta variety, any other coffee you encounter with names like Yirgacheffe, Mandheling, Colombia, etc., all belong to sub-varieties or original varieties under the Arabica species.

As for why they are called Mandheling, Yirgacheffe, this is related to the naming method by origin: Taking Yirgacheffe as an example, it is a small town in Ethiopia, so the coffee produced in this town is named Yirgacheffe. Within the town, there are also different small producing areas, estates, or cooperatives. For example, there is a place called Kochere and a cooperative called Reko Cooperative. The coffee they produce is mostly some original varieties of Arabica, so we can call this coffee: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere producing area Reko Cooperative original variety!

So simply put, it's still the same sentence - except for those specifically identified as Robusta, almost all coffee beans you can encounter are Arabica variety coffee beans! It's just that the sub-varieties grown in different places are somewhat different.

Differences Between Arabica and Robusta

In many places that sell coffee, it's not difficult to find terms like "100% Arabica," and even canned coffee has styles named "XX Arabica Coffee," making people curious: What exactly are "Arabica coffee beans"?

In fact, "Arabica" is the species name of the coffee tree.

"Arabica" (Coffea Arabica) and "Robusta" (Coffea Robusta) are two different coffee varieties. These two varieties currently account for the vast majority of global coffee bean production. "Arabica" coffee and "Robusta" coffee have the following three main differences: 1. Different growing conditions. 2. Different flavor characteristics. 3. Different market prices and uses.

Differences in Growing Conditions

"Arabica" coffee has more stringent growing conditions, requiring higher altitudes (600 to 2000 meters above sea level), fertile soil, sufficient humidity, appropriate sunlight conditions and shade. "Arabica" coffee trees have poor resistance to pests and diseases and are easily damaged. Additionally, the annual yield per unit area of coffee trees is also lower.

Currently, "Arabica" coffee accounts for 75% of global coffee production. Among this "Arabica" coffee production, only 10% of Arabica coffee quality can be classified as "Specialty Coffee."

"Robusta" coffee, commonly known as "strong beans," can be grown in low-altitude areas (200 to 800 meters above sea level), has strong resistance to pests and diseases, is not easily damaged by agricultural pests, has higher annual yields per unit area of coffee trees, and can be harvested in large quantities using machines. Generally speaking, production costs are much lower than Arabica coffee.

Different Flavor Characteristics

"Arabica" coffee has diverse and broad potential flavors. Arabica coffee produced in different regions, at different altitudes, and in different climates usually has its own characteristics, showing completely different personality flavors. When unroasted, "Arabica" coffee smells like fresh grass. After appropriate roasting, it reveals "fruity aroma" (medium-light roast) and "caramel sweetness" (dark roast). Generally speaking, it has better aroma and flavor than Robusta beans.

"Robusta" coffee usually has relatively plain, dull, and pungent flavors. Because most Robusta worldwide is grown in low-altitude areas (author's note: as of May 2008, only India grows rare high-altitude, high-quality, washed Robusta coffee beans), the flavor differences produced by different regions and climates are not too significant, lacking individuality. When unroasted, it smells like raw peanuts. After roasting, cheap Robusta coffee beans usually show flavors between "wheat tea taste" (medium-light roast) and "rubber tire taste" (dark roast), making it difficult to display delicate flavors.

Differences in Market Price and Use

High-quality "Arabica" coffee requires complex manual picking, selection, and delicate processing processes, so the most expensive and excellent coffee beans worldwide are "Arabica" variety coffee. Because of low cost, "Robusta" variety coffee is usually used to produce instant coffee and canned coffee. A few higher-quality "Robusta" variety coffees are also used in blending (mixed with Arabica variety coffee) to create espresso coffee beans.

Other Differences

There is also an important difference: the content of "caffeine" (Caffeine, C8H10N4O2). The caffeine content in "Robusta" coffee is about twice that of "Arabica" coffee, which is why drinking certain canned coffees can easily cause palpitations and insomnia.

After seeing so many differences between "Arabica coffee" and "Robusta coffee," it must be emphasized in the end:

"Arabica coffee" is not equivalent to "good coffee," and "Robusta" variety is not absolutely cheap coffee!

Arabica coffee accounts for seventy-five percent of world coffee production, with significant quality variations - some good, some bad. In recent years, a few countries (such as India) have been committed to improving the quality of Robusta variety coffee. They plant Robusta in high-altitude areas, provide the most careful cultivation, and apply fine washed processing, resulting in very high-quality Robusta coffee beans! The price of top Robusta beans is also not cheap, breaking the ancient impression that all Robusta are cheap beans! Therefore, the quality of coffee beans can no longer be judged by the crude and outdated standard of "whether it's Arabica beans."

Recommended Arabica Coffee Bean Brands

The Arabica coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high - each 227-gram package costs only about 70-90 yuan. Calculating based on 15 grams of coffee beans per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 5-6 yuan. Compared to the price of a cup in coffee shops that often costs over a hundred yuan, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com