What is Robusta Coffee? What's the Difference Between Arabica and Robusta Coffee?

Coffee enthusiasts may not pay much attention to coffee varieties, but those familiar with coffee certainly do, as they understand that different coffee varieties yield different flavors. There are many coffee varieties in the world, all of which are derived from three major species. The world's three original coffee species are Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica, with Liberica having minimal production. Arabica and Robusta (hereafter referred to as "Robusta beans") are the two most commonly used coffee varieties on the market.

It's often said that specialty coffees are Arabica varieties, while Robusta varieties predominantly appear in blended beans. This is because the inherent flavors of the original coffee varieties become dominant. As for which is of higher quality between Arabica and Robusta, FrontStreet Coffee believes that each coffee has its own unique flavor characteristics, and the most expensive isn't necessarily the highest quality. Choosing what suits you best is the ultimate coffee selection.

Arabica coffee varieties predominantly feature floral and fruity notes, as well as nutty and caramelized acidic flavors. Generally, they taste better than Robusta and are more easily accepted, often appearing as single-origin specialty coffees. Robusta coffee varieties, on the other hand, have relatively simple flavor profiles with intense bitterness, making them less smooth and harder to appreciate. Therefore, they are mainly used for espresso and instant coffee.

Arabica Coffee Varieties

The Arabica species was the first coffee variety discovered and is considered the highest quality among coffee beans. It is currently the world's primary coffee bean species, cultivated in various countries across Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. All Arabica varieties originate from Ethiopia, where the primary forests still contain many unknown coffee tree varieties today. The Robusta coffee variety originated in the Congo region of West Africa. Robusta actually belongs to the Canephora species, also known as the Congo species. Unfortunately, within the Canephora species, only one variety called Robusta could be commercialized and become well-known, so much so that Robusta has now almost completely replaced Canephora as the representative name for this species.

Arabica coffee beans have high environmental requirements. Suitable temperatures and high altitudes are the basic requirements for growing Arabica varieties. Through different altitudes, temperatures, microclimates, humidity levels, and soil conditions, Arabica varieties exhibit completely different flavor profiles. Because they are grown at high altitudes with significant day-night temperature differences, the growth cycle of coffee trees extends, allowing for richer flavor development. For example, Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha coffee tastes better when grown in Panama than in Ethiopia, precisely because Arabica is particular about growing conditions—the harsher the environment, the better the coffee flavor.

Arabica grows in regions at altitudes of 600-2200 meters, temperatures of 15-24°C, and annual rainfall of 1200-2200 millimeters. From flowering to fruit ripening takes approximately 7-9 months. Its beans are elongated with strong, rounded wet aromas. Coffee made from Arabica beans has pronounced complex flavors such as flowers, fruits, chocolate, and caramel, with well-balanced bitterness and acidity. Its caffeine content is below 1.5%. Arabica beans have rich aromas and flavors, and their taste is relatively smooth and palatable. Therefore, they occupy a dominant position in the market.

Arabica plants typically grow between 2.5 to 4.5 meters tall. They tolerate low temperatures but cannot withstand frost, and their drought resistance is not strong. Their beans are larger with clean flavors, aromatic taste, and low caffeine content. Arabica also has many sub-varieties, all derived from Ethiopia's most ancient Typica and Yemen's Bourbon, which were transplanted to Central and South America or Asia and then mutated into various cultivars. Examples include Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 Sun-dried Typica, and Panama Geisha coffee.

"Ancient Original Varieties"

"Typica": The most ancient original variety from Ethiopia, from which all Arabica varieties derive. Typica has bronze-colored top leaves and oval or slender pointed beans. Its flavor is elegant, but the plant has weak physical strength, poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield. Excellent estate coffees such as Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to the Typica variety. The bronze-colored top leaves of Typica are one of its distinguishing characteristics.

"Bourbon": An early variant (pre-coffee history) of Typica after being transplanted to Yemen, where the bean shape changed from slender pointed to rounded. In 1715, France transplanted Yemen's rounded Mocha beans to Bourbon Island on the east coast of Africa (renamed Réunion Island after the French Revolution), and only then was it named Bourbon. In 1727, the rounded Bourbon beans made their way to Brazil and Central and South America. In 1732, Britain also transplanted Yemen's Mocha beans to St. Helena Island (where Napoleon was later exiled), which were also rounded Bourbon beans. Bourbon is a frequent winner in American specialty coffee cupping competitions.

Geisha: A derivative variety belonging to the Typica family, exported from Ethiopia's Geisha Mountain in 1931 (Geisha is pronounced the same as the Japanese word "geisha"). It remained relatively unknown in many countries until being transplanted to Panama in the 1960s, where it began frequently winning cupping competitions starting in 2005.

Currently, the most renowned Geisha growing region is in Boquete, Panama, a small town located on the eastern foothills of the Baru volcano. In the Boquete region, the most famous Geisha coffee plantation is the renowned Hacienda La Esmeralda, along with Elida Estate and Panama's NPGE Estate. Although Geisha coffee is now cultivated worldwide, including in Taiwan, China, its flavor profile still doesn't match the remarkable quality of Panama's Geisha.

Robusta Coffee Varieties

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 greater tolerance for extreme weather conditions. Robusta is widely cultivated in countries such as Vietnam, Brazil, and India, with Hainan, China also growing Robusta coffee.

Robusta grows in regions at altitudes of 0-800 meters, temperatures of 18-36°C, and annual rainfall of 2200-3000 millimeters. From flowering to fruit ripening takes approximately 7-9 months. Its beans are round with weak wet aromas and woody notes. Coffee made from Robusta beans has strong, distinct bitterness and low acidity. Its caffeine content ranges from 1.8% to 3.5%. Robusta beans have simple flavors with intense bitterness, making them less smooth and palatable. They are typically used for industrial coffee production such as instant coffee, canned coffee, and liquid coffee. A small portion is used to blend espresso beans to enhance the body and richness of espresso. FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend uses 10% Robusta beans.

Most Robusta is cultivated in low-altitude areas with fast growth rates, resulting in less flavor development. Additionally, Robusta coffee trees naturally have high chlorogenic acid content (the source of bitter compounds), resulting in coffee with fuller body, deeper flavors, and notes of walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, wheat, grains, and sometimes even pungent earthy flavors.

Robusta varieties produce one bean per fruit—each Robusta coffee cherry contains only one coffee bean. Robusta coffee beans are relatively round and C-shaped, with their center line forming a "1" shape.

In contrast, Arabica coffee cherries contain two coffee beans (though occasionally only one bean develops, which forms a three-dimensional oval shape, so people call such beans "peaberries"). Arabica beans are oval-shaped, slender, and flat, with their center line forming a "C/S" shape.

Arabica coffee trees reproduce through self-pollination, while Robusta reproduces through cross-pollination. This pollination step involves genetic inheritance. Offspring produced through cross-pollination inherit genetic traits from both parent plants, potentially creating new characteristics that help them adapt to changing environments. This makes self-pollinating Arabica quite fragile, as its genes become increasingly uniform through continuous reproduction, similar to the principle of biological inbreeding. When diseases threaten coffee trees (such as coffee leaf rust), all Arabica trees with the same genes could potentially be destroyed. In contrast, Robusta varieties can continuously adapt to the environment through genetic changes.

Robusta has higher caffeine content but lower fat and sugar content, resulting in stronger, more bitter flavors. Caffeine serves as the best "natural pesticide" against pests.

Although Robusta's flavor quality may not be excellent, it possesses high body and rich oils. Most instant coffees on the market are made from Robusta beans, and after adding large amounts of artificial sweeteners and creamers, the coffee still maintains a rich mouthfeel. FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend uses a ratio of 90% Arabica to 10% Robusta. In terms of individual bean flavors, commercial beans taste significantly inferior to specialty coffee beans. Commercial beans are typically used for blending, and through proper blending, they can produce very tasty coffee suitable for making Italian-style coffees like lattes and cappuccinos. When FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend is used for espresso, the Robusta beans contribute to richer oils, classic flavors with caramel sweetness, nutty and cocoa notes, dark chocolate flavors, balanced acidity and bitterness, and a lingering aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee quality depends not only on the chemical properties of coffee beans but also on a series of human choices. The delicious Arabica coffee we enjoy today is not only a gift from nature but also the result of centuries of selection emphasizing quality-related factors. People then make choices in production, post-processing, roasting, and brewing, each of which further influences the sensory qualities of the coffee. Throughout the entire supply chain, people invest more resources and time in Arabica coffee than in Robusta, which greatly impacts the final cup flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee notes that Robusta's cupping scores are typically not high because its flavor quality is often poor, which is directly related to processing methods. Robusta is often traded mixed with large quantities of defective beans, and cupping quality is not a primary consideration for farmers. However, what if Robusta were properly processed? This could not only affect farmers' production but might also impact other segments of the supply chain.

Although Robusta generally has a poor reputation, FrontStreet Coffee believes it shouldn't be entirely blamed on the beans themselves. Robusta is typically harvested using machines, which means the harvested coffee includes rotten and unripe beans, as well as debris like insects and branches. This combination guarantees to produce a terrible cup of coffee.

Generally speaking, the specialty coffees we drink are basically made from Arabica coffee beans. Arabica beans have lower caffeine content than Robusta but offer better flavors. They have less oil content than Robusta but deliver cleaner tastes. Arabica is also more expensive due to its lower production volume.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations:

Regardless of the coffee variety, brewing a good cup of coffee requires attention to the freshness of the beans. FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that bean freshness greatly affects coffee flavor, which is why FrontStreet Coffee ships beans roasted within 5 days. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring that every customer who places an order receives the freshest possible coffee. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at its peak flavor.

For friends who need ground coffee, FrontStreet Coffee offers a gentle reminder: once coffee beans are ground in advance, there's no need for additional resting time, because during transportation, the pressure created by carbon dioxide inside the packaging helps round out the coffee flavors. Therefore, you can brew a cup immediately upon receiving the ground coffee. However, ground coffee needs to be brewed promptly, as it oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, meaning the flavors dissipate faster, diminishing the coffee's quality. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing whole beans and grinding them fresh for each brew to better appreciate the coffee's flavors.

Important Notice :

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