Arabica vs. Robusta: Differences Between the Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are the seeds of the Coffea genus of flowering plants, a fruiting shrub in the Rubiaceae family. The fruits of the coffee plant, known as cherries, produce two “beans,” or pips, which producers harvest as part of the coffee trade. They soak these immature green coffee beans for two days to remove an outer layer of sticky pulp and roast them to varying degrees to produce a light, medium, or dark roast.

You can grind coffee beans to various consistencies before using them to brew coffee drinks, from fine powders for concentrated espresso-based drinks to coarse, pebbly grinds for pour-overs, drip coffee, and French press carafes.

An oft-quoted legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder first discovered the Coffea plant around 850 AD. Producers would not begin widely cultivating the plant until the seventeenth century. The plant spread from Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula to East Africa, India, and Europe, eventually arriving in South America and the Caribbean in the eighteenth century. It would take another hundred years or so before roasted beans became available for commercial sale.

Arabica coffee is made from the beans, or seeds, of the Coffea arabica plant. The plant’s cultivars make up most of the world’s coffee production. Thought by many to be higher quality than other varieties, thanks to their smooth flavor and lack of bitterness, single-origin coffees—coffees from one region or producer—often feature 100 percent arabica beans.

Popular arabica varieties include Typica, Bourbon, Jamaica Blue Country, and Caturra.

Robusta coffee is made from the beans, or seeds, of the Coffea canephora plant. Robusta beans are a common sight in coffee blends since their dominantly bitter flavors may be less desirable on their own. Producers often use robusta beans to make pre-ground or instant coffees because they complement many blends.

While the beans are significantly less expensive than arabica beans, their pricing is not an indication of poor quality. Robusta beans can be the stars of great espresso blends with a rich layer of crema, a prized foam that results from carbon dioxide gas trapped in ground coffee.

Together, these two species of coffee dominate the coffee-drinking world. Here’s how they differ:

• Flavor: The easiest way to distinguish arabica from robusta is by its flavor profiles. Arabica is notably floral and smooth, with sweeter notes of chocolate and berries. Robusta beans have a bitter taste and carry notes of smoked wood and peanuts.
• Origins: Arabica coffee beans were first discovered in Ethiopia, but Brazil is currently the largest producer of Arabica coffee worldwide. Since Arabica plants grow best above sea level, coffee producers grow them at high altitudes. Pest and disease-resistant robusta plants are native to sub-Saharan Africa and thrive in the lower altitudes of the Eastern Hemisphere—particularly in places like Uganda, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
• Caffeine content: Robusta coffee beans contain twice as much caffeine as arabica beans. This higher caffeine content acts as a boost in blends. Robusta beans are particularly high in chlorogenic acids, an antioxidant that regulates glucose levels and lipids in the body.
• Acidity: Robusta has a lower acidity than arabica coffee, which, in contrast, has a fruity, bright acidity.

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