As we all know, there are three major varieties of coffee: Arabica, Robusta and Liberica, and the most common ones are Arabica and Robusta. Among them, Arabica production accounts for 70% to 80%.
Robusta is different from Arabica. Because Arabica has an elegant flavor, Arabica coffee beans are very popular. On the contrary, Robusta beans have an unpleasant flavor and a stronger bitterness than Arabica, so Robusta beans are mostly used to make instant coffee.
Robusta bean production accounts for approximately 20% to 30% of the world's total coffee production. However, coffee farmers will not pay the same attention to Robusta beans as Arabica beans in terms of production and processing. Similarly, because of the poor flavor reputation of Robusta beans, many specialty coffee lovers will not pay any attention to them.
The Robusta coffee bean variety originated from the Congo area in West Africa and belongs to the Canefra species. Some people also call it the Congolese species.
Robusta coffee beans and Arabica coffee beans also grow in the coffee growing belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Cancer. However, the growing conditions of the Robusta variety are not as harsh as those of the Arabica variety, and Robusta can be grown in areas with lower altitudes and higher temperatures. Its growth rate is also faster than Arabica, and it is highly tolerant to extreme weather. It also has good disease resistance to some insect pests and diseases of coffee saplings, has high productivity, and does not require too much care from coffee farmers.
【Appearance】
Robusta coffee beans are one fruit and one bean. The shape of Robusta coffee beans is relatively round, in the shape of a "C"; the center line of the coffee beans is in the shape of an "I", and the color of the green beans is yellow-brown.
Arabica coffee beans are usually one fruit and two beans. Arabica coffee beans are oblong in shape and flatter than Robusta coffee beans. The midline of the coffee beans is S-shaped or C-shaped.
【Flavour】
Robusta typically has an earthy flavor (some say burnt rubber), is more bitter, and has less acidity. Robusta has a higher caffeine content, about 1.6% to 2.4%, and lower fat and sugar content, so its taste is bitter and strong. People who like the smell love it, but people who don't like it say it smells like rubber.
The flavor of Arabica is more complex, its bitterness is much lighter than that of Robusta, its sourness is stronger, and its taste is smoother. As the growing environment changes, its flavor also changes. For example, Indonesian coffee beans are characterized by herbal spices, and African coffee beans are characterized by rising acidity.
【Ingredients】
Compared with Arabica coffee beans, Robusta coffee beans have higher caffeine, amino acid and chlorogenic acid content. The chlorogenic acid content of Robusta coffee beans is about 7% to 10%, so they are less susceptible to pests and climate effects. Robusta coffee beans also produce 60% more oil than Arabica coffee beans. Among them, chlorogenic acid easily causes astringency, so the low content of chlorogenic acid in Arabica varieties is beneficial to the development of its coffee quality. Since many aromatic volatile compounds are bound to the oils and released as the coffee is brewed, the oils may explain the difference in brewing quality between Arabica and Robusta, especially in espresso.
Since there are so many bad reviews about the flavor of Robusta beans, why can we see Robusta coffee beans in other places besides instant coffee?
Robusta coffee beans are cheaper than Arabica coffee beans, so Robusta beans are generally used to prepare instant coffee to reduce production costs. However, Robusta coffee beans will also appear in blended beans. The main reason is not to reduce costs. The appearance of Robusta beans in Italian blended beans is mainly to increase the body of the coffee extract and obtain rich oil. Robusta coffee beans usually account for 5% to 15% of Italian blends, sometimes even more than 25%.
Two of the Italian bean blends on the Front Street Bean menu contain Robusta beans, namely the Front Street Classic Blend and the Front Street Commercial Blend.
Front Street Commercial Bean Blend uses a combination of the two major Arabica growing regions of Brazil and Colombia, and adds a small amount of Robusta beans on this basis.
In terms of flavor, the espresso coffee extracted from Front Street Commercial Blend mainly exhibits traditional roasting aromas such as caramel, cream, and dark chocolate. It has a mellow taste and delicate oil. Because it is positioned as delicious and inexpensive, it is also the first choice for many people to open a store.
For those who want to learn latte art at home, buy the Front Street Classic Blend, which is a medium-dark roasted Italian formula composed of three production areas. Its design is inspired by the popular "Mamba" in ancient times, namely Mandheling and Brazil. In order to add aroma and oiliness, the Front Street Classic Blend also contains a small amount of Robusta, thereby increasing the flavor intensity and mellow taste, allowing novices to easily make Italian espresso with golden oil at home.
Since the basic blend of Front Street Black Cocoa is 100% Arabica, that is, there is no Robusta beans in it, the sweet and bitter taste is not as obvious as the Front Street commercial blend beans. The basic blend of Front Street dark cocoa uses a combination of Yunnan small grains and Brazilian red bourbon, combined with the acidity of nutty ripe plums. When ground into powder, it will exude the aroma of cream chocolate and cocoa cookies. The taste is balanced, and the oil is golden yellow and shiny. It is very suitable for friends who open a store or use it at home.
Robusta vs. Arabica: Which is better?
Many specialty coffee lovers who have been exposed to specialty coffee for a while will have a sense that Arabica is superior to Robusta. In fact, this is not the case. Some good-quality Robusta coffee beans are even much more expensive than some Arabica coffee beans, and the flavor is not inferior to Arabica beans.
For example, specialty robusta coffee beans. India's "Coffee Royal" Robusta coffee beans have changed the world's impression of Robusta beans to a certain extent. Anyone who has tasted the beans has expressed surprise at its clean flavor. Although the Robusta variety does not naturally have the elegant aromatic smell of the Arabica variety, it has a thicker, calmer taste instead, as well as a strong walnut, peanut, hazelnut, and wheat flavor that feels like peanut butter or hazelnut butter.
Robusta and Arabica coffee bean variety: Catim
In 1959, the Portuguese transplanted Brazilian Caturra to East Timor and mixed it with the local Timor variety that has Robusta genes to create the Catim coffee bean variety. Later, due to the global epidemic of coffee leaf rust, with the assistance of international organizations, the planting of Catim, a coffee variety that is highly resistant to leaf rust, was vigorously promoted.
The Catim coffee bean variety has the genes of Arabica beans and Robusta beans, and also combines some of the excellent qualities of both Arabica beans and Robusta beans. For example, it has strong resistance to leaf rust and high production capacity. In terms of flavor, it also has the rich taste of some native Typica species and is rich in oil. This is the case with the Yunnan small red cherries from Front Street Coffee.
Front Street Yunnan small red cherries
Production area: Baoshan, Yunnan, China
Altitude: 1450~1550m
Breed: Catim
Processing method: sun-dried red cherries
FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Suggestions
The brewing parameters recommended by Front Street are: Kono filter cup, 88°C water temperature, 15 grams of powder, 1:15 powder to water ratio, grinding degree EK43s#11 (Chinese standard No. 20 sieve pass rate 70-75%)
FrontStreet Coffee adopts segmented extraction. Use 30 grams of water to steam for 30 seconds. When the water level drops to 125 grams, continue to pour water until the powder bed is exposed. Stop pouring water until the water level drops to 225 grams. When the water level drops and the powder bed is exposed, remove the filter cup. (Steaming starts timing) The extraction time is 2'00'.
Flavor description
The entrance has soft acidity like red berries, obvious nutty and chocolate tones, a hint of spice, and a caramel-like sweetness in the aftertaste.。
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
