Here’s a list featuring 10 differences between the two coffee species:
1. Taste
2. Caffeine Content
3. Lipid & Sugar Content
4. Price
5. Yield and Farming
6. Usage in Blends
7. Shape
8. Plant Height
9. Chlorogenic Acid (CGA) Content
10. Cultivation
1. Taste
Often Robusta has its taste described as burnt tires or rubbery, which… sounds disgusting (can you imagine one of our taste swatches on the front page being a burnt tire?). Why the bad taste? One reason that the taste isn't as good for Robusta is that it has more caffeine compared to Arabica. Which may sound like a positive thing but caffeine carries a bitter taste which makes it an unpleasant drink
2. Caffeine Content
If you want your morning coffee to really wake you up, go for Robusta beans. They've got more caffeine, up to 2.7%, so they're strong and bitter. But if you like a smoother, sweeter brew that gives you a gentle boost, Arabica beans are your best bet. They have less caffeine, about 1.5%.
3. Lipid & Sugar Content
Arabica contains almost 60% more lipids and almost twice the concentration of sugar than Robusta. This factor also probably has a big impact on why we prefer the taste of Arabica.
4. Price
From a price perspective, green beans of Robusta is about half the price of Arabica green beans on the commodity market.
5. Yield and Farming
Robusta is easier to tend to on the farm, has a higher yield and is less sensitive to insects - the extra caffeine is a chemical defense for the coffee seed as the quantity in the Robusta is toxic to bugs.
All of these factors help bring up the supply and lower the input costs for farmers to produce. With this more attractive price point, a lot of roasters back in the day would add Robusta to their blend in an attempt to reduce their costs and increase their profits. When coffee was initially sold in the 1900s the quality of coffee slowly and slowly deteriorated in an effort for companies to squeeze the most profit.
6. Usage in Blends
Where you’ll find it: Nowadays, it’s not often you’ll find Robusta in a coffee blend. If you’re drinking instant coffee? Well, that’s probably all Robusta… but you probably don’t care very much about taste. In your espresso blend? That’s a mixed bag. Literally. Oddly enough, Robusta is still widely used as part of espresso blends – specifically Italian style blends. It is said to help improve the Crema. However, generally at a detriment to the taste, which in our opinion the priorities may be out of wack.
One thing to note is despite the association with Arabica of being higher quality, and Robusta as being lower quality, it’s not always the case. Top notch specialty Robusta coffee will usually taste as good as or better than low end Arabica. However, high end Robusta isn’t widely used or available. Rather, Robusta is usually used as a filler or cost reducer.
7. Shape
You can tell the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee beans just by looking at their shape and size. Arabica beans are oval, while Robusta beans are rounder. This is because Arabica plants are shorter, so they produce the oval-shaped beans. On the other hand, Robusta plants are taller, resulting in rounder beans. These visual differences in bean shape give us a hint about the bigger variations between these types of coffee, including instant coffee.
8. Plant Height
Arabica usually grows between 2.5 – 4.5 meters compared to the 4.5 – 6 meter height of Robusta.
9. Chlorogenic Acid (CGA) Content
Chlorogenic acids play a crucial role in shaping the taste and health attributes of coffee. Here are essential details concerning CGAs in coffee:
10. Cultivation
About 75% of the world’s coffee production is Arabica, about 25% being Robusta. Brazil is the most significant Arabica producer and Vietnam produces the most Robusta.
Well, this post ended up being a bit more robust than intended.
#badpuns.
P.S - Want to read some brewing tips for your coffees? We highly recommend this awesome brew guide by Geoff Woodley, 2011/2012 Central Regional Barista Champion & former lead coffee roaster at Detour Coffee!
Bean Basics
What is Coffea Arabica
Coffea arabica, or Arabica, is a beloved coffee variety recognized for its smooth taste, delicate acidity, and subtle sweetness. It's a favorite among coffee enthusiasts for its nuanced flavor profile and pleasant drinking experience.
Arabica coffee’s roots can be traced back to Ethiopia, the birthplace of the coffee Arabica plant. This particular variety of coffee plant demands quite specific conditions for its optimal growth—it flourishes in cool and subtropical climates where there is an abundance of moisture, nutrient-dense soil, as well as a harmonious mixture of shade and sunlight.
Preferring lofty heights between 600 and 2000 meters above sea level, growing arabica coffee presents more difficulties compared to other varieties. Nevertheless, these challenges are met with rich rewards given the exquisite flavors that this high-maintenance crop yields.
What is Coffea Canephora (Coffea Robusta)
Coffea canephora, commonly known as Robusta, offers a bolder flavor profile with a higher caffeine content. It's often chosen for its robust taste, making it a popular choice for those seeking a stronger cup of coffee to kickstart their day.
Hails from central and western sub-Saharan Africa. The robusta coffee plant stands out due to its height—growing up to 6 meters—and yields a more rounded robusta coffee bean. In contrast to Arabica plants, the Robusta variety flourishes at lower altitudes of 200-800 meters and boasts a natural resistance to pests. This trait renders it less costly to grow and thus popular among producers.
The resilience of these beans coupled with their low-maintenance cultivation has led to an increased preference for Robusta in the world of coffee farming.
