Arabica Coffee vs Robusta Coffee

We would be lying if we say that the quality of a good cup of coffee will only depend on the brand of the product, when in reality its classification by species is one of the key pieces of success. Only four plants are of greatest interest, but the first two on the list are the big favorites, well yes, we are talking about grains. Arabica and Robusta.

Although there are around 60 types of coffee, experts have always favored these two varieties of beans thanks to their significant contributions (flavor, balance, aroma, among others) to the second most consumed beverage in the world, in fact both represent 98% of global production.

Although at first glance, Arabica and Robusta have similar appearances, in this article you will be able to differentiate them and even know in which parts of the world they are grown and other characteristics.

Arabica Coffee and Robusta Coffee

Botanically speaking, grains Arabica and Robusta They are family, but when they reach the cup they are completely different, specifically in their physical aspects, cultivation and of course, in their flavor.

For example, when we talk about a medium roast, in the case of Robusta it has accentuated notes where pepper, rubber and wood spices are perceived, at the same time they are fragrant and aromatic. While in the case of Arabicas, their aromatic notes are much more complex because they are floral, fruity and are much sweeter.

Another differentiating aspect is that the acidic notes with a wide variety of nuances are typical of Arabica coffee, to make it easier to understand, they can have a slight red grape flavor until you can perceive that intensity typical of citrus or berries, all this thanks to its high sugar content.

It is important to highlight that chromosomes are the genetic load, what color we have eyes, hair... for example, human beings have 23 pairs that give a total of 46. But what does this have to do with both grains?

It turns out that Arabica has 44 chromosomes, thus surpassing Robusta which only contains 22. This means that Arabica is much more complex, it will have many more aromas and flavors because it has twice as much information.

Arabica Coffee

This coffee bean, also known as Arabica, is characterized by being the most sensitive to humidity and heat, its growth occurs at altitudes ranging from 800 to 2,200 meters, at temperatures between 15° and 25° C, which is why its cultivation occurs in areas such as Asia, South America, Central America and East Africa.

Arabica, whose origins come from the mountainous areas of Ethiopia (birthplace of coffee) is one of the varieties most appreciated by consumers and even to the surprise of many, it represents the 75% of world production within the industry.

Other things that make it stand out are its nuances and diverse flavors, which range from sweet, less bitter, with a slight fruity touch and even a little chocolatey, turning the drink into something more pleasant for any palate.

Regarding your caffeine content, it has around 0.9 and 1.5% That is, it has half of what Robusta coffee beans provide.

When identifying your physical appearance, the Arabica bean has the following characteristics:

• - It's thin

• - Elongated and with a curved incision

• - Raw grain is up to 1.5 cm long

• - Greenish tone and even with blue nuances before being toasted

When we talk about its cream, it is inevitable to notice that it is very elastic, has a high amount of sugar, fats and proteins. Preparing Arabica coffee is complicated, that is why, Incapto Coffee tea makes it easy with the super automatic machine.

Arabica Bean Varieties

Being a family and having the same genetic load does not make them exactly the same, for example, apples, although they are the same fruit, their flavor and physical appearance will always vary, this also happens with coffee. Specifically with the Arabica bean, although it has countless varieties, even with their own names spread throughout the world, most grow, look and taste completely different.

This, which is known as the coffee family tree, It is an interesting project where everything related to varieties is explained in depth to coffee growers.

As we highlighted above, Arabica coffee has countless speciesHowever, the most popular are: Typica, Bourbon, Mocha and Java.

The construction of the coffee family tree was not and is not a simple task, but it is an excellent resource that to this day its researchers Ian Fretheim and Andy Reiland, members of Café Imports, continue to add information that fits like a glove to anyone involved in the coffee industry.

Robusta Coffee

The Robusta grain, also known as Coffee Canephora, was discovered in what was the Belgian Congo back in the year 1800 AD. Regarding its quality, this is not one of the big favorites.

We can find its main crop fields in Africa, Indonesia, Asia and Brazil, since they are areas of lowlands and where the high temperatures, which exceed 30 °C.

As for your flavor, this is characterized by being earthy, similar to wood and very intense. It is also very characteristic for being very bitter and have a lot of body.

Others features dominant of Robusta beans are:

• - They have a higher caffeine content that is between 2 and 3.5%

• - Its grains are round with an almost straight incision

• - They are more economical

• - More resistant to pests and diseases due to the amount of caffeine, the latter works as a natural insecticide for the plant. Because robusta is grown at lower altitudes in tropical climates, there are many more insects than at higher altitudes where arabica is grown. That's why they have to generate more caffeine!

On the other hand, Robusta beans, in addition to being used to prepare instant coffee, are also very easy to grow, which is something beneficial for farmers. They are trees with higher yields.

Sources:

Sommelier Course
CatieNatura | coffee station
World Coffee Research