Coffee Bean Varieties: Robusta Coffee Beans

The Three Main Coffee Varieties

FrontStreet Coffee often mentions in articles that coffee is divided into three main varieties: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Among these, only Arabica and Robusta have significant commercial value. In the specialty coffee circle, Robusta coffee beans are rarely mentioned. The main reason for this lack of popularity is that they are mostly used as raw material for instant coffee, and their flavor profile tends to be bitter, which is why Robusta is often considered to be of poor quality.

(To enrich the coffee oils, FrontStreet Coffee's commercial espresso blend uses a combination of Arabica and Robusta)

The Rise of Robusta in Specialty Coffee

However, this once-unpopular coffee species has gained attention in the specialty coffee circle over the past two years. From independent coffee shops and brands to influential world coffee competitions, we can see Robusta making an appearance. Is Robusta really that bad? Obviously not.

The Origins of Robusta

According to research by FrontStreet Coffee, both Arabica and Robusta originate from Africa. Arabica belongs to the small-seeded coffee variety, originating from the Ethiopian highlands at high altitudes. After leaving Ethiopia, coffee exported through the port of Mocha spread seeds across the globe, which after centuries of cultivation, have been differentiated into more distinct varieties. Common examples like Typica, Bourbon, Geisha, and Caturra all belong to the Arabica coffee species.

Robusta belongs to the medium-seeded coffee variety, originating from the Congo Basin region of West Africa. If following strict botanical classification, it should be called "Coffea canephora" (Congolese variety), corresponding to the same level as "Coffea arabica." Robusta is just one variety within the Coffea canephora species, just as Typica is one variety within the Coffea arabica species.

The reason why the name Robusta far exceeds Canephora is that its other sub-varieties were not successful, with only Robusta being cultivated commercially by humans, while others remain in their original wild state. Therefore, medium-seeded coffee is now generally referred to as Robusta coffee. However, in terms of domestication, Arabica predates Robusta by several centuries. Robusta was discovered as a new variety by a Belgian scholar in Congo in 1898, and later, due to the impact of global leaf rust disease, Robusta with its excellent disease resistance was introduced to affected areas.

Robusta's Glory Days

Robusta also had its glorious days. Due to its high caffeine content and rich oils, during the period when espresso became popular globally, Robusta was often used in espresso bean formulations. At that time, a significant reason people loved drinking coffee was to obtain caffeine.

However, with the introduction of the specialty coffee concept, people began to重视 the flavors of different origins. Robusta's inherent bitterness, along with flavors of walnut, peanut, hazelnut, and smokiness, are considered undesirable characteristics in coffee. Most importantly, its counterpart Arabica, after being categorized by origin, shows flavor profiles that far surpass Robusta. This could be considered an inherent issue - Robusta's flavor profile is far less appealing than Arabica's, which is why people tend to choose Arabica.

Inherent Deficiencies and Poor Development

FrontStreet Coffee believes that in the specialty coffee category, coffee flavor comes first, and caffeine is no longer the only reason people drink coffee. Robusta's advantages instantly become disadvantages. Light-roasted Arabica coffee exhibits floral and fruit-like aromas with acidity that is unforgettable. However, if Robusta is lightly roasted, grainy and almond-like flavors along with unpleasant acidity become repulsive. In general, with current Robusta beans, there is no hope in the light roast category.

What about the dark roast category? Robusta's bitterness is fully expressed through dark roasting. Well, it's too bitter, but also very aromatic. For example, Vietnam frequently consumes Robusta coffee beans - they love the aroma of Robusta coffee but not the bitterness, so they add condensed milk or eggs to black coffee to balance the bitterness.

Some might argue that Robusta's growing environment is inferior to Arabica's, and that low-altitude Arabica coffee also has poor flavor. Therefore, some people have started planting Robusta in high-altitude regions, providing meticulous care, aiming to eliminate the tormenting bitter and mixed flavors. There's what's known as specialty Robusta - India's "Kaapi Royal" Robusta coffee beans. These are cultivated using the same standards as specialty Arabica coffee beans. This coffee bean shows remarkable cleanliness, without the annoying defect flavors found in cheaper-grade Robusta. It offers a thicker, more stable mouthfeel, with intense walnut, peanut, hazelnut, and wheat flavors reminiscent of peanut butter and hazelnut paste.

Indeed, improving cultivation standards can enhance coffee flavor quality, but Robusta is Robusta - its genetics determine that its flavor cannot match that of Arabica. It's not that Robusta's flavor is completely inferior to Arabica's, but when popular taste still leans toward Arabica flavors, Robusta will not have its day. The public will only measure Robusta by Arabica standards. Although this is unfair, it is reality.

What is Robusta Used For?

Robusta's advantage is its low cost. Taking Brazilian coffee as an example, ordinary Robusta costs only half as much as ordinary Arabica coffee. Secondly, its body and caffeine content both surpass Arabica. Therefore, when these three advantages are combined, becoming raw material for instant coffee becomes its best destination.

Of course, some relatively high-quality Robusta beans appear as espresso blends or single-origin Robusta coffee beans. To be honest, FrontStreet Coffee has tried a Vietnam-produced Robusta whose milk and cream aromas were very rich and pleasant. Although it was a bit bitter, it wasn't particularly difficult to drink~

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