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Arabica and Robusta
Most of the coffee that we consume is a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, but do we really know what are they?
Here is some brief information on each kind.
Arabica
Arabica Coffee bean is a specie of coffee indigenous to Ethiopia and Yemen. It is also known as the "coffee shrub of Arabia", "mountain coffee" or "arabica coffee". Coffea arabica is believed to be the first specie of coffee to be cultivated, being grown in southwest Arabia for well over 1,000 years. It is considered to produce better coffee than the other major commercially grown coffee species, Coffe canephora (robusta). Arabica contains less caffeine than any other commercially cultivated species of coffee. Wild plants grow to between 9 and 12 meters tall, and have an open branching system. The leaves are opposite, simple elliptic ovale to oblong, 6-12 cm long and 4-8 cm wide in glossy dark green. The flowers are white, 10-15 mm in diameter. The fruit is a drupe (though commonly called a "berry") 10-15 mm in diameter, maturing bright red to purple and typically contain two seeds (the coffee 'bean').
Robusta
Coffee canephora (Coffee Robusta) is a specie of coffee which has its origins in western Africa. It is grown mostly in Africa and Brazil, where it is often called Conillon. It is also grown in Southeast Asia where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century. In recent years, Vietnam, which only produces robusta, has surpassed Brazil, India, and Indonesia to become the world's single largest exporter. Approximately one third of the coffee produced in the world is robusta.
Canephora is easier to care for than the other major species of coffee, Coffee arabica, and, because of this, is cheaper to produce. Since arabica beans are considered superior, robusta is usually limited to lower grade coffee blends as a filler. It is however included in instant coffee, and in espresso blends to promote the formation of "crema". Robusta has about twice as much caffeine as arabica.
Cheaper blends of roasted coffee that contain more Robusta beans normaly has better body, but less flavor and aroma and higher amount of caffeine.
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