Arabica beans and Robusta beans are two different species of
coffee grown commercially for consumption as coffee. The general
differences are those of taste, the conditions under which the
two species grow and economic differences.

Taste: Arabicas have a wider taste range, between
varieties. They range in taste from sweet-soft to sharp-tangy.
Their unroasted smell is sometimes likened to blueberries. Their
roasted smell is perfumey with fruity notes and sugary tones.
Robustas taste range is neutral to harsh and they are often
described as tasting grain-like, oatmeally. Burnt tires is the
description that I personally find most accurate. Their
unroasted smell is often described as raw-peanutty. There are
high quality robustas on the market but they are rare and
reserved exclusively for the best robusta containing espressos.

In Italy, home of espresso, the very highest quality brands are
pure arabica, and like here, the popular-priced goods are
blended with robusta beans. Because “Imported from
Italy” can make an ordinary supermarket quality Italian
espresso a “gourmet” coffee in the U.S., you will find
robustas in some Italian brands offered for sale in the United
States.

The coffee you like is a very personal thing. You may find that
you really prefer the all-arabica blends, or you may feel
comfortable with something less, just because you like it.
That’s OK. The American marketplace, thanks to the Specialty
Coffee movement here, is now rich enough in roast types,
species, varieties, blends, brews, grinds, and price points to
have something for every taste and pocketbook.

It should be noted that a low quality arabica bean cupped next
to a high quality robusta will probably be the inferior bean.
So, don’t get too caught up in the arabica versus robusta
argument. Many great espresso blends use robusta for it’s
strength and crema.

I should also mention that Arabica does not equal quality. Over
seventy percent of the coffee grown throughout the world is
arabica. Much of it is garbage so do not assume that just
because you are buying arabica you are getting a quality coffee.

One other side note that must be mentioned is that Robusta has
approximately twice as much caffeine as Arabica. This may be an
issue for some people when choosing their coffee.

[tag]Coffee, Arabica, Robusta[/tag]