The Differences Between Arabica and Robusta Coffee

Coffee beans are divided into three main categories: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Since Arabica and Robusta are the most commonly circulated varieties on the market today, some friends have privately messaged to ask about the differences between these two types of coffee beans.

To help everyone better understand these two coffee bean varieties, today we'll explore the differences between Arabica and Robusta coffee beans.

1. Harvest Period and Yield

Arabica coffee trees take five years from seedling planting to bear fruit. The main harvest period in Brazil is from May to September each year, while in Colombia it's from April to June. The total production accounts for approximately 70-75% of the global market. Robusta coffee trees, however, only need two to three years to bear fruit. In Indonesia, the harvest period is from April to August each year, while in Vietnam it's from October to April of the following year. The total production accounts for approximately 20-25% of the global market.

2. Characteristics and Uses

Arabica has a relatively mild flavor with fragrance and wine-like acidity, making it of higher quality. Therefore, Arabica has greater commercial value, and Arabica coffee beans brewed under various roasting degrees offer different flavors, providing high versatility for exploration. For example, in FrontStreet Coffee's bean list with over fifty coffee varieties, more than 95% are single-origin Arabica varieties.

Robusta possesses strong resistance to pests and diseases. The coffee beans produced lack aroma, have strong bitterness (due to high caffeine content), and insufficient acidity, making them mainly used for instant coffee, canned coffee, or three-in-one instant coffee mixes. Compared to Arabica, Robusta's price is relatively lower.

Arabica has more refined flavors and smoother mouthfeel, with overall better quality. Nowadays, it's rare to find single-origin Robusta specialty coffee on the market (though some specialty coffee importers do offer such products). Washed Robusta has higher quality and can be used in blends to increase body and intensity, complementing Arabica's advantages. The three famous coffee varieties - Hawaii Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain, and Yemen Mocha - all belong to the Arabica variety. Arabica green beans have a dark, narrow appearance and are regarded as the highest quality highland Arabica varieties, characterized by rich flavors including sweetness, acidity, and aroma.

Generally, Arabica is mainly used for single-origin or specialty coffee, while Robusta is used to make instant coffee. Although Arabica can be defined as premium coffee and Robusta as secondary, it's not necessary to classify them this way - it's more appropriate to distinguish them based on your preferred flavors. From a flavor preference perspective, the United States and Japan more commonly drink light coffee brewed from Arabica, while Europe prefers espresso made from a blend of Arabica and Robusta.

Shape Differences

Arabica coffee cherries are oval-shaped, typically containing two slightly flat beans. The beans are small and round, with an oval front face and a narrow, curved S-shaped crack in the middle. The back of the bean has a relatively flat arc shape. Main growing regions include South America, Central American countries, Africa, and Asia. China's Yunnan, Hainan, and Taiwan regions also cultivate small amounts of Arabica variety coffee beans.

(Left: Arabica, Right: Robusta)

Robusta coffee beans are oval-shaped, small, and relatively round. The side with the crack is slightly puffed, with straighter grooves. They have weak aroma and strong bitterness, reminiscent of soybeans, and are mainly used for instant coffee. Since their origin is in Africa, most Africans drink Robusta coffee.

Different Flavor Characteristics

【Arabica】

Arabica coffee possesses diverse and broad potential flavors. Arabica coffee produced from different regions, altitudes, and climates typically has unique characteristics, showcasing distinctly different personality flavors. Unroasted Arabica coffee smells like fresh grass fragrance. After appropriate roasting, it reveals "fruit aroma" (light to medium roast) and "caramel sweetness" (dark roast). Generally, it has better aroma and flavor than Robusta beans. This makes it the only coffee among these native varieties that can be directly consumed alone, suitable as both single-origin and espresso blend coffee.

【Robusta】

Robusta coffee typically has rather plain, stiff, and pungent flavors. Because most Robusta worldwide is grown in low-altitude regions (currently only India grows rare high-altitude, high-quality, washed Robusta coffee beans), the flavor differences produced by different regions and climates are not significant, lacking individuality. Unroasted, it smells like raw peanuts. Cheap Robusta coffee beans after roasting typically display flavors between "wheat tea taste" (light to medium roast) and "rubber tire taste" (dark roast), making it difficult to showcase delicate flavors.

Does Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Belong to Arabica?

99% of domestic coffee comes from Yunnan. Yunnan coffee belongs to a variant of the Arabica original species, developed through long-term cultivation and domestication, generally called Yunnan Small Bean coffee, with over a hundred years of cultivation history. Today, let's talk about "About Yunnan Coffee - Those Secrets You Didn't Know."

First, Yunnan coffee is definitely not the worst coffee in all of Asia - Indonesia's Robusta and East Timor's hybrid varieties are at the bottom;

Second, Yunnan coffee is not the worst domestic coffee either, because there's still Hainan Xinglong's Robusta at the bottom; (okay, let's not compare with Robusta anymore)

Third, Yunnan coffee is not the best domestic coffee either - the best is in Taiwan (an inseparable part of our country).

What is Yunnan Small Bean Coffee?

Yunnan Small Bean coffee is said in contrast to Vietnam's medium bean coffee, due to different cultivation varieties. The variety planted in Yunnan is Arabica, with smaller beans than Vietnam's Robusta variety, hence called "small bean." The variety planted in Yunnan belongs to the same Arabica variety as the most expensive Blue Mountain coffee. Yunnan is China's largest Arabica coffee growing region, so the Arabica coffee produced in Yunnan is also called small bean coffee.

What Varieties Does Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Include?

Typica and Bourbon, these two classic premium coffee varieties, are the main cultivated varieties in Yunnan. In 1991, the Catimor series varieties were introduced from Kenya (with stronger virus resistance and higher yield), belonging to Arabica variety (also called small bean variety) variants. Due to the similar morphology and habits of these two varieties, they are often mixed in cultivation.

Typica coffee originated from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan, and is the most widely cultivated coffee variety in the Western Hemisphere. Typica plants are relatively robust, with tall and slender tree forms, and bronze-colored top leaves, hence commonly known as red-top coffee. However, this variety is not tolerant to light, has poor disease resistance, and low yield, so many farmers pursuing high yields are unwilling to plant it, instead switching to other varieties with better productivity. This is also the main reason why Typica is becoming increasingly rare today. But Typica's flavor is mellow and elegant, suitable for various brewing methods. FrontStreet Coffee's own Yunnan coffee uses the Typica variety, and everyone can order from FrontStreet Coffee's Taobao store or FrontStreet Coffee's Tmall flagship store.

Bourbon originated from a natural mutation of Typica, with the bean shape changing from slender and pointed to round. It was first discovered on Bourbon Island Réunion off the east coast of Africa. In 1715, France transplanted the round beans from Yemen Mocha to Bourbon Island on the east coast of Africa (renamed Réunion Island after the French Revolution), and it was named Bourbon. Bourbon round beans were introduced to Brazil for cultivation in 1727.

Although the yield is not high, compared to the weaker Typica variety, Bourbon has better resistance to leaf rust disease. Bourbon coffee grown at high altitudes has rich and delicate flavors, strong aroma, and smooth acidity. Generally, the Bourbon cherries we see change from green to light yellow, orange-yellow, red, and finally to fully ripe dark red, which is what we call Red Bourbon. There's also a rarer Yellow Bourbon, where ripe cherries display bright yellow. FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate coffee belongs to the Yellow Bourbon variety.

Catimor is a combination of Arabica and Robusta varieties. Robusta has good resistance to leaf rust disease and rich oils, high yield, and is easy to cultivate. After hybridizing with Arabica's Typica, Catimor gained 25% Robusta genes. It improved resistance to leaf rust disease, retained rich oils, and also maintained some of the rich flavors of the original Typica variety, so most Yunnan estates began large-scale cultivation of Catimor. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Catimor coffee grown in Yunnan has nutty, brown sugar, and plum-like flavors, but overall cleanliness is not as excellent as the Typica variety.

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