Types of coffee

Arabica Coffee

Wondering what Arabica coffee is and how it affects the coffee you drink?

Arabica coffee is a type of coffee made from the beans of the Coffea arabica plant.

Arabica originated in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and is the most popular type of coffee in the world – accounting for 60% or more of the world’s coffee production.

After arabica in popularity, it is robusta coffee made from the beans of the Coffea canephora plant.

Robusta Coffee

Robusta was born in Central and Western Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the second most popular coffee in the world, accounting for 40% of coffee production.

Robusta coffee is grown largely in Africa and Indonesia. The largest producer is Vietnam.

It is often used in instant coffee and espresso blends. When it comes to making coffee at home, espresso is your method of choice to bring out the best from robusta beans.

The fruit of the Robusta coffee plant turns dark red as it matures and takes about 6 to 8 months to do so. The fruit does not ripen at the same time like blueberries – there can be ripe and unripe fruit on the same branch.

There are usually two coffee beans (seeds) inside each fruit.

1. Taste

Coffee made with Arabica beans is slightly acidic due to high oil but has an aromatic flavor. It is usually sweeter and softer. Visually speaking, light foaming forms on top of Arabica coffee. 

Coffee made from Robusta beans is stronger and more bitter. It is less aromatic, but because the foam is thicker and denser, you can make a creamier espresso. 

2. Caffeine

One reason Robusta doesn’t taste as good is because it contains more caffeine compared to Arabica. It may sound like a positive thing, but caffeine has a bitter taste, which makes it an unpleasant beverage. In fact, Robusta beans contain 2.7% caffeine. This is almost twice the 1.5% of Arabica.

3. Lipid and Sugar Content

Arabica contains almost 60% more lipids and almost twice the sugar concentration than Robusta. This explains why we prefer Arabica.

4. Price

In terms of price , Robusta’s green beans are about 1/3 the price of Arabica green beans in the commodity market .  

5. Growing Coffee Beans

Robusta is easier to farm, has a higher yield and is less susceptible to insects. The extra caffeine is a chemical defense for the coffee beans, as the amount in Robusta is toxic to insects .   

6. Geography