The biggest characteristics of Robusta variety coffee are high yield, high body, heavy bitterness, high caffeine content (1.7%~3.0%), and low price. Therefore, during the first and second waves, most instant coffee and blended coffees used a large amount of Robusta. As the second largest coffee producer in the world, Vietnam is the largest producer of Robusta in the world, with 80% of its output being of the Robusta variety.
From a biological point of view, Robusta belongs to the Caneforra species, also known as Congolese species and Coffea mesocarpa. Just like the Geisha we often hear belongs to the Arabica species, but among the Caneforra species, only Robusta is commercially grown and promoted, so Robusta has almost become synonymous with the Canefora variety. The varieties Tim and Catim, derived from the natural cross between Robusta and Arabica, are now widely planted and are classified under the category of Arabica.
From a planting perspective, Robusta coffee trees are resistant to high temperatures, colds, droughts, and humidity, and have a very high survival rate. They also have a high caffeine content (1.7%~3.0%), which is about twice that of Arabica. Caffeine acts as the plant's natural pesticide, making robusta immune to most insects. The fruit yield of a single Robusta plant is very high, and the fruit is slightly rounder and smaller than the fruit of Arabica coffee. The bean body is oblate and has straight pits in the middle.
Because of Robusta's high yield, cold and drought tolerance, disease resistance, and rapid maturity, it is generally planted on low-altitude plains below 800 meters, and can be directly managed and harvested using machines. Therefore, the production cost of Robusta cultivation is lower, and it is more suitable for commercial mass production. The price is naturally cheaper. For example, most of the crops grown in Hainan in my country are Robusta beans. In our daily life, we often see Arabica variety coffee advertised as "100% Arabica", but it is almost rare to see "100% Robusta". This starts with the taste of Luodou.
After analysis, Luodou has a very high chlorogenic acid content and a low sucrose content. Chlorogenic acid is the source of the bitter taste in coffee, and sucrose is the prototype of the various aromatic substances we experience in coffee. Therefore, Luodou usually has low acidity, with a mellow, deeper bitterness, and a flavor spectrum of walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, barley tea, cereals, etc. If not processed properly, it will have a strong and irritating earthy smell, and a negative rubber-like taste. This also makes everyone summarize it as "Luodou flavor". For example, the Catim variety that is most widely planted in Yunnan, China, contains 25% of the Robusta gene, so it is always criticized for its flavor.
Darkly roasted Robusta beans will accumulate a large amount of gas and release rich oil foam when extracted into espresso. The solid flavor profile also provides the coffee with a more mellow taste. We all know that the traditional Italian coffee tastes strong, bitter and mellow, without too much acid, which is in line with the flavor characteristics of dark roasted beans. This is why the beans are still alive in the current era of specialty coffee.
If you have friends who want to taste the taste of Robusta beans, Front Street does not recommend directly buying 100% Robusta beans for brewing, especially hand brewing. Because the taste of Robusta beans is relatively thick, strong and bitter, and high-quality Robusta beans are also more expensive, and the price/performance ratio is far less than Arabica. Therefore, the barista recommends buying an Italian blend that contains a small amount of Robusta beans, because this way you can feel the rich taste of Robusta beans at the same time. Front Street Classic Blend and Front Street Commercial Blend are the first choices.
First of all, Front Street Classic Blend and Front Street Commercial Blend both use Arabica from two origins, and then add a small amount of Robusta, so the main flavor is still the taste of Arabica. Among them, the Front Street classic blend combines Indonesian Mandheling and Brazilian beans, with the wild aroma of Mandheling and the smooth taste of Brazilian beans. The taste plays a complementary and harmonious role, while Robusta fully enhances the oiliness of the coffee and strengthens the body.
Front Street Commercial Blend is based on Latin American coffees from Brazil and Colombia, and adds a small amount of Roman beans to produce an espresso with rich golden oil and nutty aroma. When you taste it, there will be a burnt coffee bitterness, but it will be accompanied by a more creamy and full taste. After swallowing, the bitterness will also dissipate, leaving a fragrant aroma on your lips and teeth.
Although Arabica coffee beans are still the most popular today, in recent years, due to climate and environmental problems in various coffee producing areas, coffee growing conditions have become increasingly poor, and coffee cultivation will face great challenges in the future. Robusta itself has better survivability, so it is likely that more hybrid coffee varieties with Robusta blood will appear in the future.
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
