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Written by Charlotte

The difference between Arabica and Robusta beans

Worldwide, you'll find more than 60 coffee types of which only 2 are suitable for drinking. These are the ones from the Arabica and Robusta plant. The coffee market consists of 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta. The Arabica has of a refined sweet and acid flavor, while the Robusta is more solid and bitter. We'll explain the difference.

Compare Arabica beans to Robusta beans

Arabica Robusta
Aroma Refined, sweet, or sour Strong, bitter
Shape Oval, light brown, larger Round, dark brown, smaller
Caffeine Little A lot
Origin High altitude, around the equator Low-elevation regions, around the equator

The taste

What do Arabica coffee beans taste like?

Arabica: sweet and fresh

The most consumed coffee bean is the Arabica coffee bean. These coffee beans are aromatic and have fruity and flowery flavors. The coffee beans tend to be more sweet or sour than bitter. As sweet as caramel, and fresh like lime. Many coffee enthusiasts choose coffee of 100% Arabica thanks to its fine taste. It's good to know that the ground the coffee bean grows on has a great impact on the taste of the coffee. An Arabica bean from Brasil has very different flavors than an Arabica bean from Ethiopia.

What do Robusta coffee beans taste like?

Robusta: bitter and solid

Robusta, as the name suggests, has a robust flavor. These coffee beans have a round and intense flavor. The flavors vary from grainy to wood-ish, and they tend to be more bitter than sour. You'll barely ever find coffee that's made out of 100% Robusta beans. That would be way too bitter. The Robusta is often added to melanges. The fat in the bean ensures a nice crema, and Robusta can add just the right amount of bitterness and extra caffeine to a coffee melange. With Robusta beans, the flavor also greatly depends on the country of origin.

The shape

Arabica coffee beans

Arabica: oval and large

An Arabic bean is light brown and has an oval shape. It's also larger than a Robusta bean. Before roasting, the coffee beans are dark green and a lot larger.

Robusta coffee beans

Robusta: round and smaller

A Robusta bean is dark brown and rounder than an Arabica bean. Before roasting, the coffee beans have a light green color with a hint of brown.

Caffeine

Little caffeine

Arabica: little caffeine

In Arabica coffee beans, there's less caffeine than in Robusta coffee. That's because Arabica coffee beans don't have as much resistance as Robusta coffee beans. Arabica grows at a high altitude, and is being harvested by hand. So if you prefer not to get the caffeine kick, choose Arabica beans.

Much caffeine

Robusta: much caffeine

Because the Robusta plant grows at a lower altitude, the Robusta has to deal with vermin more often. The plant protects itself by producing more caffeine, almost twice as much as the Arabica. Keep this in mind if you don't handle caffeine well. Robusta grows on a lower, often flat surface. This allows large agricultural machinery to harvest easily.

The origin of Arabica and Robusta

The origin of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans

The coffee plant is originally from Ethiopia. Over the centuries, the inhabitants have been experimenting with coffee beans more and more. Nowadays, people grow coffee in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia, also called the coffee belt. Coffee plants grow in tropical areas. The location of the plant greatly affects the flavor of the coffee. Between continents, regions, and even between farms. The coffees from North America taste flowery and fresh, while flavors from South-America are more sweet and nutty.

Grow coffee

Arabica bean origin

Arabica: grows high

Farmers grown Arabica beans at high altitudes. They grow on bushes, which have elongated pods with coffee beans in them. Most Arabica beans are harvested in the area around the equator. They grow at an altitude between 1000 and 2000m high. This makes the production more expensive and more labor-intensive, and so the coffee more expensive.

Robusta bean origin

Robusta: grows low

Robusta beans grow at a lower altitude in areas around the equator. They grow on plants as small berries and grow on fields. Because the plants grow at a lower altitude, they're better protected from heat, moisture, and diseases. This makes them easier to grow, and cheaper than Arabica beans. An advantage of Robusta over Arabica, is that Robusta plants don't get sick as quickly. It has a better immune system, so to speak.

Conclusion

Which bean you choose depends on what you like. Do you prefer a sweet and sour flavor? Simply choose the Arabica. If you choose 100% Arabica coffee beans, you'll experience a refined and sweet flavor. The more Robusta beans you add to the Arabica beans, the stronger and more bitter your coffee will taste. The Robusta bean has a bitter flavor, which is why it's often added to a blend. Thanks to this, you'll get a good crema. If you want a lot of caffeine in your coffee, the Robusta bean is the most suitable for you.

Charlotte
Article by:
Charlotte Coffee Expert.
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