What's the Difference Between Arabica and Robusta Coffee Beans? Why Are Robusta Beans Less Popular? What Are the Differences in Growing Altitude and Yield?

3.0! 3.0! The Coffee Bean Identification Guide 3.0 is here!!! In the previous two articles, FrontStreet Coffee shared how to identify some sub-varieties of Arabica, as well as the differences in appearance between coffee beans processed differently, such as natural and washed. Many friends, after learning these skills, have come to FrontStreet Coffee to "find faults," attempting to apply their knowledge to identify the bean information recommended by FrontStreet Coffee.

So today, FrontStreet Coffee is sharing the Coffee Bean Identification Guide 3.0, and everyone is welcome to come and continue "finding faults." This time, we'll teach you how to distinguish between Arabica and Robusta - these two major varieties. What different external characteristics do they have, and how can we identify them at a glance! (Links to previous guides: "How to Identify Coffee Bean Varieties at a Glance," "Teaching You to Tell Whether Beans Are Natural or Washed at a Glance")

Commercial Coffee Varieties

Among the 130+ major species in the Coffea genus, only three have commercial value: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. However, the coffee beans currently sold on the market are mainly Arabica and Robusta, because their advantages make them "more widely accepted"! People choose to cultivate different varieties based on different needs. So next, FrontStreet Coffee will share the different advantages that Arabica and Robusta each offer!

Arabica: The Small Bean with Big Flavor

Because Arabica's fruit is the smallest among the three main species, it has the nickname "small bean." The advantage of Arabica lies in its excellent flavor performance: more prominent aroma and richer layers. However, as prominent as its aroma is its disadvantage: low yield, weak disease resistance, and extremely demanding requirements for growing conditions. When cultivated at altitudes below a certain height, Arabica becomes difficult to survive. Therefore, the price of Arabica coffee is relatively higher. But since flavor is paramount, Arabica coffee accounts for as much as 70% of the world's total coffee production to this day.

Robusta: The Resilient Medium Bean

Robusta, on the other hand, is medium-sized among the three species, making it a "medium bean." Compared to Arabica, Robusta doesn't have particularly outstanding flavor performance. However, its vitality is extremely strong! Not only does it have high yields, but its disease resistance is also excellent, and its caffeine content is twice that of Arabica. Therefore, it's not as delicate as Arabica and can grow "wildly" even in low-altitude environments. So when we see some coffee plants producing abundant coffee fruits in low-altitude environments, we can make preliminary guesses about their variety.

Robusta's Role in the Coffee Industry

Thanks to this, many coffee-producing regions can cultivate coffee in low-altitude areas. But because they are generally grown at lower altitudes, Robusta's flavor profile is mainly characterized by intense bitterness, with some woody and barley tea notes. These less-than-optimal flavor characteristics, combined with high yield and low price advantages, have made Robusta the main material for instant products. At the same time, these reasons have led to Robusta becoming synonymous with "inferior" in coffee circles.

To date, Robusta accounts for about 25% of global coffee production! Besides being used as raw material for instant products, a small portion of these beans also serve as base beans in blends or appear as specialty coffee beans.

How to Identify Arabica vs. Robusta

So how do we distinguish between Arabica and Robusta? It's actually quite simple - just like with natural and washed processing, genetic differences are also reflected in external characteristics. Below are pictures of Arabica and Robusta beans. Let's see what specific differences exist between them~

Many friends may have noticed the shape of the beans, but the bean shape cannot be used as a decisive difference because many Arabica varieties are also round in shape. The main difference lies in the center line of the beans. The center line of Arabica beans is mostly crooked and not straight! While the center line of Robusta beans is a straight line. This is what we use as the basis for identification.

However, we need to note that some coffee beans may have unclear center line characteristics due to development or genetic issues (Arabica and Robusta hybrids). For example, among a pile of Arabica beans, there might be a few beans with straight center lines. (Just like identifying natural and washed beans, in a batch of natural beans, there might be a few beans with obvious silver skin on their center lines.) Therefore, when observing, it's best not to focus on individual cases but to observe the entire tray or handful of beans simultaneously. This way, the results will be more accurate.

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