4 Differences Between Robusta and Arabica Coffee Beans

Introduction to Specialty Arabica Coffee

Specialty coffee celebrates the natural goodness of high-quality coffee beans and great coffee. It’s an industry that combines the efforts of coffee farmers, coffee roasters, and coffee lovers.

Most specialty coffee in Singapore is made of top-grade Arabica coffee beans with bold and clear flavours. Specialty coffee roasters in Singapore source their beans ethically and make their processes transparent to consumers. 

Let’s take a look at the Arabica journey from bean to cup.

1. Farmers nurture delicate Arabica coffee plants in shady, pristine environments. Optimal environments with adequate water and cool temperatures yield beans with more decadent flavours.
   
2. Farmers handpick ripe cherries with defect-free beans. The beans are further processed and assigned a grade by professional coffee tasters. Specialty coffee has a grade of 80 and above out of 100.
   
3. The beans are variably roasted in small batches to bring out the best flavours.
   
4. Specialty coffee suppliers like Kofrika educate consumers on the benefits of specialty coffee. We highlight coffee bean origins, varieties, and processing methods so consumers like you know exactly where your coffee comes from.

Global coffee production mainly comprises two species of coffee: Arabica and Robusta beans. Understanding the differences between Arabica and Robusta beans helps us better appreciate the quality and history of specialty coffee.

Arabica Beans

1. Arabica Coffee Origins

Arabica coffee beans are native to Ethiopia. They were first grown as crops in Yemen and spread to India, Indonesia, the Middle East and Europe in the 1600s and 1700s. 
Arabica is the world’s most widely grown, produced, and exported coffee bean type, making up around two-thirds of global coffee exports. Ethiopian landraces are locally adapted Arabica varieties that originate from Ethiopia’s forests. You’ll find them growing in family-owned smallholder farms, where Kofrika’s beans come from.

2. Growing Conditions

Arabica is a delicate coffee plant and requires excellent care to grow. Farmers must maintain a list of optimal conditions:

• Shady areas away from direct, harsh sunlight
• Enough water (usually from rain) throughout its entire life cycle
• Fertile, evenly moist soil
• Protection from pests and disease
• Regular pruning to prevent leaf overcrowding and leaf rust
• Humid conditions for healthy green leaves
• High altitudes with temperatures of 16-24ºC. Arabica beans are grown in highlands, where the high altitudes and lower temperatures allow them to grow slowly and absorb more sugars.

Arabica coffee plants bear fruit every 2-3 years. Lots of hard work, time, and love go into nurturing Arabica coffee beans, which explains why it usually costs more than Robusta beans.

3. Taste and Characteristics

Arabica beans contain: 

• Around two times as much sugar
• More natural oils
• A bolder, more complex aroma than Robusta beans.

The drinking experience is smooth, sweet, and velvety, regardless of your brew method. 

Arabica bean sweetness results from the plant’s cooler growing conditions. Lower temperatures and higher elevations promote slow growth and absorption of sugars for a more intricate flavour.

Where do the best Arabica coffee beans come from? Southern Ethiopian coffee from the Yirgacheffe region is renowned for its fragrance, sweet flavour, full body, and citrus notes. You’ll notice these flavours in Kofrika’s 100% Arabica coffee beans (available in Singapore):

• Yirgacheffe, Chelbesa Arabica coffee, has notes of apricot, chamomile, and mandarin.
• Guji, Shaakkisoo, has notes of jasmine, peach, and orange.

Caffeine in Arabica coffee beans is moderate at around 1.2% to 1.5% per 100g. Acidity-wise, Arabica bean chlorogenic acid (CGA) content is around 5.5-8%.

4. Bean Shape and Appearance

Arabica beans are more oval-shaped with a wavy or S-shaped line through the centre. This centre crease is more prominent in Arabica than in Robusta beans. 

Why is this so? Arabica plants are shorter, which causes their beans to be more oval-shaped.

Robusta Beans

1. Robusta Coffee Origins

Robusta beans originated from Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Central and West Africa. It was first cultivated as a crop in lowland areas. Cultivation spread to Northern Brazil, Asia, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Around 30-40% of globally produced coffee is Robusta. Production has increased rapidly in recent decades due to rising global coffee demand.

2. Growing Conditions

Robusta is usually grown as a hardy, low-grade coffee; hence, it is used in mass-produced instant coffee worldwide. It’s the coffee in 3-in-1 coffee sachets on supermarket shelves, instant coffee machines, and standard brews in F&B establishments.

The Robusta coffee crop is less delicate than Arabica coffee and generally much more resilient to adverse conditions, hence the name ‘Robusta’.

It is a hardy plant and can withstand a wider range of growing conditions, including:

• Warmer temperatures (22°C to 30°C)
• More sunlight and heat exposure
• Irregular rainfall
• Exposure to insects
• Lower elevations

3. Taste and Characteristics

Robusta coffee has more chlorogenic acids (CGA), creating a bitter-tasting brew. The Robusta bean CGA content is around 7-10%, with a higher acidity than Arabica beans. Discover how coffee acidity impacts coffee taste in our previous blog.

Robusta has a higher caffeine content than Arabica at 2.2% to 2.7% per 100g. This results from its strong chemical defence system against insects that thrive at lower altitudes where it is planted.

Taste-wise, Robusta has a full coffee body with smokier flavours like toasted bread and wood. 
Robusta beans are known for their richer crema levels, which makes them popular for espresso blends. In Singapore, coffee shops commonly use robusta beans roasted with sugar and margarine to make kopi.

4. Bean Shape and Appearance

Robusta beans are typically round, with a straight line through the centre. This centre crease may not be as prominent as that of the Arabica bean. 

Robusta plants are taller, which causes their beans to be rounder.

Which One To Choose?

Arabica and robusta coffee beans have merits and purposes in the global coffee industry. Differences in taste and quality make one bean species more suitable for specific coffee types than the other.

So, are Arabica coffee beans the best? Some coffee enthusiasts say yes. Arabica beans are the most well-loved roasted coffee type due to their intricate and enticing flavour profile. 

However, it also depends on what you define as good coffee. 

Here’s a quick summary of the two bean types:

	Arabica Beans	Robusta Beans
Flavour	Sweeter, fruity flavours with a smooth texture	Smoky, bitter brews with richer crema levels
Caffeine	Moderate	High
Body	Medium to full	Medium to full
Acidity	Lower (5.5-8%)	Higher (7-10%)

Are you ready to experiment with different specialty coffee bean types at home? 

You can find Arabica coffee beans for sale in Singapore from Kofrika. Kofrika’s single-origin 100% Arabica beans bring Ethiopia’s finest specialty coffee to your home.

Our beans are nurtured and handpicked by Ethiopian smallholder farmers who have honed their craft over generations. They are roasted to order in Singapore, ensuring you get them as fresh as possible.
Discover the origins of specialty coffee with our freshly roasted Yirgacheffe Chelbesa and Guji Shaakissoo beans. Buy Arabica coffee beans online at kofrika.com.