Robusta is what we often call Robusta. It is a widely planted coffee variety. Together with Arabica, it is a commercially available coffee bean species on the market today. When we learn about Luodou, we usually see the words "unpalatable" and "bitter". So does Luodou necessarily mean that the coffee is not delicious? In this article, I will introduce this unpopular breed to you.
What are the characteristics of Luodou?
Robusta is not popular in coffee circles mainly because its taste is not as pleasant as Arabica. After analysis, Robusta has a very high chlorogenic acid content and a low sucrose content.
Chlorogenic acid is the source of the bitterness in coffee. It usually has a mellow, deeper bitterness, as well as the flavor profile of walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, barley tea, cereals, etc. If not processed properly, there will be a strong and irritating earthy smell, and a negative taste like rubber. Darkly roasted Robusta beans will accumulate a large amount of gas. When extracted into concentrate using an espresso machine, rich oil foam can be released. The solid flavor spectrum also provides the coffee with a more mellow taste. In Italy, locals pursue the strong taste and rich oil of coffee. Many coffee shops will add a certain proportion of Robusta beans when making espresso to enhance its "coffee flavor".
Since the taste of Luodou is not good, why do so many people grow it?
The history of coffee development tells us that before the concept of specialty coffee was emphasized, instead of pursuing the flavor of the production area and traceability information now, coffee drinkers were more pursuing caffeine and strong coffee flavor, while growers were pursuing mass production to ensure that coffee could bring stable income. Robusta has an advantage that Arabica cannot match, which is its extremely strong survivability.
Compared with Arabica, the caffeine content of Robusta varieties is higher, about 2.7%-4%, which is twice that of Arabica. Caffeine acts as a natural pesticide for plants, protecting it from most insects. From a planting perspective, Robusta coffee trees can withstand high temperatures, colds, droughts, and moisture, and have a high survival rate. In addition, a single Robusta plant has high fruit yield and strong adaptability to the environment. Generally, it can be planted in low-altitude plains. It can be directly managed and harvested using machines, and the price is naturally cheaper. Therefore, the production cost of inputs required for Robusta cultivation is lower and it is more suitable for commercial mass production. Robust beans have large yields, mature quickly, and low management costs, which are very suitable for coffee production areas that win by quantity. As the second largest producer in the world, Vietnam, 80% of the coffee grown is Robusta.
In addition, the growing environment of coffee has become worse and worse in recent years, which has always been a big test for Arabica, which has always had extremely high requirements for the altitude and climate of its planting environment. Robusta itself has a strong survivability, so there is no need to worry too much about the climate, terroir, etc. on quality, yield, and flavor. This has also led many coffee drinkers to slowly begin to pay attention to high-quality Robusta beans.
Luodou doesn't taste very good, but that doesn't mean it has no merits
Many people may know that specialty coffee is Arabica, but they don’t know that Robusta is also called specialty coffee. As we all know, the flavor of coffee is not only related to the variety, but also affected by factors such as climate, altitude, and soil quality in various regions, as well as post-processing, roasting, and brewing, which can change the flavor of the coffee in our cups. In other words, with appropriate planting treatments, Luodou can also exhibit positive flavor. There is a Royal Robusta coffee bean in India, which has been exquisitely grown and shows an extremely clean taste.
The overall taste of Luodou is strong and strong, and the price of the famous Luodou is not too low compared to the best Luodou. Not everyone is within the acceptable range, so Front Street recommends that you start with the Italian coffee blended with Luodou.
As Front Street mentioned above, dark roasted Robusta will produce rich oils during extraction, so Front Street designed an Italian bean called Front Street Commercial Blend, which adds a small amount of Robusta to the classic combination of Colombian and Brazilian coffee to create a The espresso coffee has rich golden oil, nutty, and toasty aroma. When you taste it directly, you will feel the bitterness of the burnt coffee. But with the addition of milk to make a latte, it has a more creamy and full taste. After swallowing, the bitterness will also dissipate, leaving a fragrance on your lips and teeth. Coupled with the advantage of cost-effectiveness, Front Street Commercial Blending has become the first choice of many coffee shops.
For those who want to learn latte art at home, buy the Front Street Classic Blend, which is a medium-dark roasted Italian recipe 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 to enhance the flavor intensity and allow novices to easily make Italian espresso with golden yellow oil at home.
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
