The first difference is very clear through the names of the two types of beans, as the name
Robusta shows, it is very robust, is strong, contains a lot of caffeine, helps you stay awake. Arabica coffee, on the other hand, has less caffeine, but contains more aroma (aroma).
Besides the different names, you can distinguish the difference between Arabica c0ffee and Robusta through factors such as growing conditions, shape. seeds, caffeine content, aroma and taste.
While Robusta grows slightly 4.5 – 6.5 m tall, it requires a higher temperature of 18° – 36°C and slightly more rainfall (2200 – 3000 mm/year) than Arabica. Arabica often also yields lower yields than Robusta – which means higher costs in production.
2. Bead Shape
Arabica coffee beans have a long (elliptical) shape, a groove in the middle of the bean or a wavy shape. Whereas Robusta beans are smaller and slightly rounded, the middle groove is usually straight.
4. Caffeine content and some other substances of 2 types of coffee
The caffeine content in Arabica is quite low, only 1-2%. Meanwhile, this content in Robusta beans is very high: 2-4%. Therefore, Robusta coffee has a more bitter taste than Arabica. In addition, the fat content in Arabica contains more than 60%, and the amount of sugar is almost twice that of Robusta. This gives the difference in taste of the two coffees.
The difference between the two other types of coffee is the CGA present in the beans. This is an antioxidant that helps prevent insects, fight diseases for plants. With Robusta, CGA accounts for 7-10%, while Arabica only contains about 5.5-8% CGA. This is the reason why, Arabica is quite resistant to pests and diseases, leading to not as high yield as Robusta coffee beans.
Because Robusta coffee has an average caffeine content twice as high as Arabica, the combination of Arabica and Robusta coffee gives the overall flavor of an easy-to-drink coffee cup and neutralizes the most subtle things in coffee. .
4. Fragrance and taste
Arabica coffee beans have a sour taste, but the taste of Arabica coffee is not completely sour, but when swallowed, it will have a bitter taste, which is called the aftertaste of coffee. Especially Arabica after preparation has a very attractive scent.
This is a very popular coffee in Europe with typical dishes such as: Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, … Robusta coffee, also known as
Robusta coffee, has a characteristic bitter taste, a lighter aroma than Arabica.
5. Color of ARABICA COFFEE
Usually, coffees with less caffeine tend to have a darker color when roasted at the same time and temperature, this is also an effective way to distinguish Arabica and Robusta coffee. With a fairly high caffeine content, Robusta usually has a lighter color, while Arabica produces a bold color that is quite eye-catching.
6. Why is arabica preferred over Robusta?
This depends on the individual taste of each person, Arabica is considered to have a better taste, less acrid than Robusta. Many people like to drink Robusta instant coffee, but when switching to Arabica, most of them don’t want to use Robusta anymore.
Robusta can be considered a coffee of inferior quality, but it has the advantage that it is very suitable for the weather. Normally, this type of coffee will be harvested after 2-3 years, while Arabica coffee needs 4-5 years.
Arabica coffee is also a demanding plant and is quite sensitive to climate, it requires annual average temperature and rainfall to meet new standards for a high harvest. Meanwhile, Robusta coffee can adapt to many different environmental conditions.
