9 Differences between Robusta and Arabica Coffee Beans Manufacturers

If you are a coffee lover then you must have heard the terms Robusta and Arabica. But what does that mean? Well, there are around 100 species of coffee among which Arabica and Robusta are the most popular ones. Although they have the same appearance but the difference between these species is very significant. The general difference is of taste and the conditions under which these species grow. If you want to know more differences between these two popular species then you have landed at the right place. Here is the list of 9 significant differences between Robusta and Arabica coffee beans manufacturers that would definitely increase your knowledge about coffee:

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1.Taste

Arabica coffee beans have a softer, sweet to sharp-tangy taste. When they are unroasted, they generally smell like blueberries and their roasted smell is perfume with fruity notes and sugary tone. Arabica beans have higher acidity level and have the taste of wine. On the other hand, Robusta beans have an earthy or rubbery taste. Compared to Arabica beans, they contain the double amount of caffeine. Hence, Arabica coffee beans have better taste and have a better quality.

2.Growing conditions

Robusta coffee beans are easier to grow. They can be grown at low altitudes of 200-600 meters. They have harder fruits which grow quickly and because they have a strong coverage, their fruits do not attract pest; whereas, Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes. They need a lot of moisture, good quality soil and proper sunlight. The fruits of Arabica coffee beans are also fragile and soft. Because of fragility, their fruits can be easily attacked by pests. Also, Arabica trees a lot of time to get matured. Therefore, we can easily infer that Robusta coffee beans are easier to grow as compared to Arabica coffee beans.

3.Lipids and sugar content

Arabica contains twice the concentration of sugar and almost 60% more lipids than Robusta coffee beans. Because of this reason, Robusta beans are bitter and Arabica beans are comparatively tastier. The higher sugar level in Arabica also ensures that its aroma is better than Robusta.

4.Caffeine content

Another reason why Robusta has a bitter taste as compared to Arabica is the amount of caffeine content present in it. Robusta has 2.7% caffeine whereas Arabica has 1.5% caffeine. This may sound like a good factor but it makes Robusta bitter and unpleasant to drink.

5.Physical difference

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Arabica coffee trees generally have the height of around 2.5 meters to 4.5 and robust trees are around 4.5 meters to 6 meters tall. The beans of Robusta are more circular and dark in cooler whereas Arabica bean is oval in shape and have light brown color.

6.Chlorogenic acid content

Chlorogenic acid or CGA is present in coffee beans and acts as an antioxidant and as an insect deterrent. Arabica coffee beans have around 5.5-8% chlorogenic acid content and Robusta coffee beans have around 7-10% chlorogenic acid content. Because of this reason Robusta trees are less vulnerable to pest attack.

7.Cultivation

Arabica coffee production accounts for almost 75% of the coffee production in the world while remaining 25% being Robusta. Among all the coffee producing nations, Vietnam is the leading producer of Robusta coffee beans and Brazil is the leader in the production of Arabica coffee beans.

8.Usage

As we informed earlier, Arabica beans are more popular as they account for almost 75% of the total coffee cultivation Because of this reason it not very frequent that you will find Robusta in your coffee blend. If you are drinking coffee currently, there is a great possibility that is made from Arabica beans. But, almost all the instant coffee is made from Robusta beans. There is a reason behind this. Manufactures of the instant coffee industry use less expensive Robusta species so that customer are more attracted towards it and this species is also widely used as a part of espresso to improve the crema.

9.Price

Robusta plants have a higher yield and require less money to be spent on insecticides and pesticides. They are easy to grow and have a higher yield as compared to Arabica trees. As a result, the price of Arabica beans is twice higher than that of Robusta.

It is important to note that it is not always the case that Arabica beans are of higher quality and Robusta beans are of lower quality. Robusta coffee has an original coffee taste but the problem is that they are not widely available. If you are confused about which species of beans you should use then do not think further because the choice is simple. If you are looking for smooth and sugary taste in your coffee then use Arabica beans and if you are looking for unique flavor with high caffeine content then use Robusta beans.