Differences Between Arabica and Robusta Coffee Beans: Coffee Flavor Characteristics

If you're familiar with coffee, you certainly know that coffee beans are generally divided into two types: Robusta coffee beans and Arabica coffee beans. These are arguably the two most common varieties available. But why is Arabica coffee more favored by people? Today, FrontStreet Coffee will share the differences between these two types.

As the two most common varieties on the market, Arabica belongs to the small-grain species, while Robusta belongs to the medium-grain species.

Caffeine Content Differences

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Arabica has lower caffeine content, approximately 0.9%-1.2%; it contains 60% more fat than Robusta coffee; and twice the sugar content. Therefore, Arabica tastes sweeter, smoother, and carries a slight fruity acidity. When we drink coffee, the bitterness we taste mainly comes from chlorogenic acid in the coffee.

Compared to Arabica, Robusta has higher caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and amino acid content. Therefore, Robusta naturally lacks the unique aroma of Arabica coffee beans and instead produces a richer, deeper taste. For example, flavors like walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, wheat, and grains, sometimes even with stimulating earthy notes. Because of Robusta's abundant caffeine content, it's generally used as raw material for instant coffee.

Some espresso blends, to achieve rich, heavy coffee crema, also add an appropriate amount of Robusta coffee beans. Just like FrontStreet Coffee's "Commercial Blend," which includes 10% Robusta beans, making the espresso produced richer in taste with abundant crema. Therefore, choosing which type of coffee bean entirely depends on personal preference.

In addition to its antioxidant properties, chlorogenic acid is also an important component for resisting pests, so Robusta grown at low altitudes can be protected from most insect damage. To express diverse flavors, Arabica needs to be planted in suitable environments at higher altitudes. The higher the altitude, the more susceptible coffee is to pests and climate effects. Generally planted at higher altitudes, it yields fewer fruits and matures more slowly. High-quality Arabica coffee requires more manual management and harvesting, resulting in higher production costs.

Appearance and Flavor Characteristics

Arabica coffee beans are oval in shape, relatively slender and flat, with an "S"-shaped centerline. Robusta coffee beans, on the other hand, are more rounded in appearance with a "1"-shaped centerline.

When in their green bean state, distinguishing coffee varieties by appearance is relatively scientific. However, because coffee beans expand and deform after roasting, becoming rounder, and the centerline changes from S-shaped to nearly straight, distinguishing varieties by the appearance of roasted beans is still rather one-sided.

Arabica coffee, from different regions, various altitudes, and different climate origins, each possesses unique charm, presenting rich and diverse flavors. When unroasted, it emits a fresh aroma like grass; after proper roasting, it can reveal enticing fruity notes (light to medium roast) or caramel flavors (dark roast). This variability makes both single-origin and blended coffee beans capable of showcasing their charm through different extraction techniques. When tasting, you'll experience its medium to high aroma, bright and lively acidity, smooth and delicate mouthfeel, while the medium to low body also brings a sweet aftertaste.

Robusta coffee is mainly used in espresso blends to increase richness and obtain abundant crema. Typically used in proportions of 5-15%, sometimes exceeding 25% of the total roasted coffee blend. When tasting, you'll experience its medium to low aroma, low acidity, strong bitterness in taste, full body, woody notes, with a pyrolytic and spicy aftertaste.

The leaves of Arabica coffee plants are long and oval in shape, while Robusta coffee leaves are broader and thicker. The size difference between the leaves is already quite obvious, not to mention the size of the plants themselves. Arabica coffee trees are typically 2-3 meters tall, while Robusta can generally reach over 10 meters.

Arabica Varieties

Arabica coffee is a large family with nearly three thousand varieties, all of which have evolved from Ethiopia's two oldest native varieties: Typica and Bourbon. These varieties, after spreading to South America or Asia, have mutated through adaptation to local environments.

Coffee, as an agricultural product, has unique flavors related to various factors including variety, climate, altitude, soil, and management methods. These factors collectively form the flavor profile of coffee, which is a natural and authentic expression of the variety and local terroir. Now, FrontStreet Coffee will select several representative varieties to help understand Arabica coffee.

Jamaican Typica

One of Ethiopia's oldest native varieties, discovered around the 15th to 16th centuries. Typica is characterized by taller coffee trees with bronze-colored top leaves, and the coffee beans are larger, longer, with pointed tips, somewhat resembling eggs. Typica coffee often has citrus acidity with a sweet aftertaste, praised by many as elegant and clean coffee beans. Unfortunately, due to its low yield and poor resistance to leaf rust disease, it has gradually been replaced by farmers with other more robust varieties.

Typica was introduced to this country in the 18th century by Sir Nicholas Lawes and soon spread to the Blue Mountains for cultivation, with a history of over two hundred years. The Typica in Blue Mountains has adapted to the local island tropical rainforest climate, evolving stronger disease resistance, particularly against coffee berry disease, which is much stronger than typical Typica. FrontStreet Coffee believes that the exquisite clean flavor of Blue Mountain is inseparable from Jamaica's insistence on careful cultivation of Typica varieties, allowing Typica to integrate into the local terroir, while the excellent terroir and unique microclimate of the Blue Mountains also contribute significantly. FrontStreet Coffee uses medium-dark roasting to maximize the presentation of chocolate and nut aromas while preserving soft acidity and sweetness, creating an overall balanced taste.

Panama Geisha

Friends who often drink pour-over coffee must have heard of Panama's Geisha coffee, which has become one of the synonymous terms for contemporary specialty coffee due to its stunning aroma. The Geisha variety derives from Typica and also originates from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.

Geisha is very particular about its growing environment, requiring high altitude, fertile soil, cloud cover or plant shade, and cannot be directly exposed to sunlight. The owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda has mentioned that the farm needs numerous shade trees to protect the delicate Geisha from sunlight, and traditional pruning must be used during the initial planting period, otherwise the plants easily die.

Geisha planted at higher altitudes has longer maturation periods for coffee cherries, and the flavor expression is more complex and unique. Unlike other coffee varieties, the leaf surface system of Geisha coffee trees is very thin, meaning photosynthesis efficiency is low. The root system is also fragile, with slow absorption of water and nutrients, resulting in very low coffee yields. Combined with high-altitude growing conditions, the fruit maturation period is also later.

Currently, Geisha is cultivated in many regions worldwide and is the new king of specialty coffee, with higher quality in Latin American countries such as Panama, Guatemala, and Colombia. Panama Geisha, in particular, stands out among specialty coffees. When it comes to Geisha coffee, the most popular on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list is undoubtedly the renowned Geisha coffee produced by Hacienda La Esmeralda, which is further divided into Red Label Geisha, Green Label Geisha, and Volcanic Soil Geisha based on different characteristics. High-quality Geisha coffee has a captivating fragrance of rose flowers, citrus, berries, and honey, loved by many coffee enthusiasts.

Ethiopian Heirloom Varieties

Friends who often drink Ethiopian coffee may have noticed that the variety of Ethiopian beans is always listed as local heirloom or Heirloom. In the dictionary, "Heirloom" refers to "valuable property passed down through generations," meaning that for Ethiopians, coffee is an irreplaceable "treasure."

This is because in Ethiopia's original forests, there are numerous coffee varieties with countless genetic types, making identification extremely difficult. Additionally, the local government hopes to protect these varieties by not publicly disclosing them, so "Heirloom" is used to collectively refer to these coffee categories. Yirgacheffe coffee varieties are local heirlooms, with small grains of varying sizes and shapes, mostly rounded, typically between 14-15 mesh.

Several of FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian coffees belong to heirloom varieties, such as Yirgacheffe Gidding Cooperative, Natural Red Cherry, and Sidamo Flower Champion, which often exhibit elegant floral and fruity flavors in cupping.

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