How Does Fine Robusta Coffee Taste?

First of all, it is necessary to make a clear distinction. When it comes to coffee flavor and aroma, Arabica is more complex than Robusta, partly because the chemical composition of the two varieties is not the same.

Compared to Robusta, Arabica coffee is lower in caffeine, amino acids, and chlorogenic acid but has 60% more total oil. Chlorogenic acid creates astringency, so less chlorogenic acid in Arabica is beneficial for the development of coffee quality. Many aromatic volatile compounds attach to oils and are released during coffee brewing so that oils may explain the differences in flavor quality between Arabica and Robusta coffees, especially in espresso.

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Robusta is often dismissed as having a rubbery and bitter taste, and this variety is high in caffeine. This is why specialty coffee roasters and baristas often overlook this type of coffee, which is often sold in the lower end of the market and used as a recipe blend.

The quality of coffee depends not only on the chemical properties of the coffee beans but also on a series of human choices. The delicious Arabica coffee we drink today is not only a gift of nature but the result of centuries of selection that emphasizes quality-related factors. One then makes choices in production, post-processing, roasting, and brewing, each of which further affects the sensory quality of the coffee.

Throughout the supply chain, people invest more resources and time in Arabica coffee than Robusta, which has a big impact on the flavor in the final cup.

CQI, a coffee quality agency, claims that "Robustas often have low cupping scores because the flavor quality is often not very good, which is directly related to the processing. Testing quality is not the primary concern for farmers. But what if it is handled properly? It may affect not only farmers' production but also other parts of the supply chain."

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Honestly, if the Robusta received the same care and attention as the Arabica, it might improve cupping scores and make people value the breed more. However, if there is no market demand for "Premium Robusta", there is no incentive for farmers to improve quality at the farm stage.

Some organizations try to change the market's negative associations with Robusta and develop a market for good Robusta. CQI started the excellent Robusta program in 2010, and in 2019 released the "Standards and Protocols for Excellent Robusta".

Mario Fernandez, Technical Director of CQI, said: "Robusta has certain properties that make it more attractive to certain producers, roasters, and consumers than Arabica. There are many people in the specialty coffee industry. I don't understand, and it's wrong to compare Arabica and Robusta coffee head-to-head in terms of quality...they are two species of the same genus, like donkeys and horses. Both donkeys and horses are precious resources for human beings. Still, they are Each adapts to a different job and serves a different purpose...and there is also land for Arabica and land for Robusta."

As the coffee industry sees more of the effects of climate change, it may become increasingly important to grow crops suited to the land's conditions. As demand grows and more land becomes unsuitable for growing Arabica coffee, the coffee industry needs to find alternatives. The Coffee Barometer states: "Without major efforts to adapt coffee production to climate change, global coffee production by 2050 may even be much lower than it is today."

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Robusta is stronger, easier to grow, and less expensive than Arabica. Producers can grow it at lower altitudes than Arabica, and it is less susceptible to pests and diseases due to its higher caffeine content (a natural insect repellant).

Robusta is also more resistant to erratic climates and warmer temperatures, which are somewhat controversial in terms of climate change and the reduction in Arabica production. The fruit of Robusta also grows much faster than Arabica, which takes several years to ripen, and the former produces higher yields per tree. Of course, the downside is its lower price compared to Arabica coffee.

But low prices are yet another strong argument for premium robusta coffee and its place in the specialty coffee industry. Robusta coffee is grown by millions of farmers worldwide, and these improvements in coffee quality are likely to lead to higher coffee prices and higher incomes.

As the specialty coffee industry claims if the specialty coffee industry's mission is to put the producer first, investing in Robusta to improve its quality and its reputation would be an ethical thing to do in the industry.

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Let's take a look at how Robusta is generally handled and what can be done at various points in the supply chain to improve its quality.

Robusta's bad reputation comes from poor farming techniques, especially post-harvest processing.

This starts with poor picking practices and incorrect storage, with many farmers not fully drying their coffee to a moisture content of 11-13%. All of these bad practices can affect the final coffee taste, making it smelly, sour, earthy, musty, etc.

He said that Robusta's coffee quality could be improved by simple measures, such as picking only ripe fruit, immediate processing, drying procedures on trellises, and a good storage environment.

Essentially, all of the best techniques for processing Arabica coffee should be used, with slight adaptations for Robusta processing. Of course, the resulting flavors won't be as rich as Arabica, but there will likely be other flavors that many consumers and roasters have never tasted.

When properly processed and sun-dried, Robustas can have a very clean coffee flavor with bright acidity and a light mouthfeel.

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How GEPA produces premium robusta coffee with excellent taste:

GEPA has partnered with the Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union (ACPCU). Constant cupping with producers and cooperative members has raised their awareness of the quality and awareness of what this coffee can achieve. We have developed a premium robusta that can be sold on the German market as a single-origin espresso. GEPA provides training in post-harvest techniques, bean picking, and grading. When you handle coffee beans with care, their quality can be amazingly improved.

This premium robusta is treated differently than normal Robusta. Farmers take the fruit to the cooperative within a few hours after harvesting it and dry it on a drying bed. Since the cooperative centrally manages this process, the quality is improved, and the fruit can be dried evenly with proper ventilation. The beans are then graded and filtered using a color picker.

As long as Robusta improves both harvest and post-harvest techniques, coffee quality has great potential to improve. The same is Robusta. Some are used for general commercial use. Some will be regarded as high-quality Robusta, and the difference is only in the processing.

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It is difficult to practice agricultural improvement without market demand. One of the main reasons why this is the case is the negative attitude towards Robusta.

Imagine Robusta producers using the best technology at every step, following best agricultural practices, and focusing on investing in this coffee. Then a specialty coffee roaster said: good, thank you, very good, but this is still Robusta. We only use specialty coffee beans, and this can only be Arabica.

So far, even exporters of origin have rejected Robusta because the industry only considers Arabica coffee. You can't blame the grower for not investing in crop improvement but because their beans will never make it to the boutique sector, where he might be able to make more money.

Mamy Dioubaté is a Ph.D. researcher in the international political economy working on the price chain of global crops. "I don't think the Robusta market can compete with the Arabica boutique market," he said.

He said: "Increasing the quality of Robusta does not mean putting additional pressure on Arabica coffee producers. It means allowing consumers to taste new and different coffees. I strongly believe that Robusta can add to the specialty coffee market. New consumers, because the taste is completely different."

"I don't think it's a zero-sum game, even the rise of Robusta in the specialty coffee market will not replace the Arabica coffee market. We should be committed to the quality and variety of coffee. We need variety. Considering the people who are currently unable to access the specialty coffee market, there is no need to worry about the market being divided, but to expand the market."

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Co-founder and roaster of Nordhavn Coffee Roasters have given him the opportunity to roast and cup samples of Robusta from Guatemala, Indonesia, Tanzania, Guinea, and Uganda. The authors' team was impressed by the balance, transparency, and soft sweetness of these samples.

As with Arabica coffee, we know that quality is related to its grown altitude. The high altitude of Ugandan coffee translates into unique flavors of hazelnut, milk chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter. One of the samples even showed some citrus fruit and lemongrass aromas, which are often flavor descriptors for fine arabica coffee.

We've been roasting Robusta as part of our recipe and have tried some micro-batches, but we've never used the systematic approach we use when roasting Arabica.

Philip Binkert and Yves Ineichen of Swiss roaster Röstlabor, who only use Robusta coffee.

"We cherish every cup of Robusta coffee very much," Philip and Yves said via email. "Unfortunately, roasted Robusta beans are hard to come by in Zurich, even if they are very dark. passion, which prompted us to start roasting Robusta to our liking in 2015."

"In recent years, as we have learned more about Robusta, we have continued to expand our customer base and start using different recipes, blends, and dealing with other producers. For us, Robusta coffee, The best attributes are the rich, foamy crema, body, and low acidity (especially the light roasted Robusta beans)."

Philip and Yves said: "The biggest difference when roasting is that there is almost no audible pop compared to Arabica, and there is also very little change in the heating rate."

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They say: "It's also important to roast with the right equipment. We use a stone sieve because sun-dried beans can contain stones. The consistency of the roast is also important, and we regularly check cooked beans with our color picker. In addition to that Also, we are basically roasting Robusta the same way we roast Arabica, even though we fundamentally believe that roasted Robusta is less refined and less complex than Arabica, but this is all possible. Acceptance."

When cupping Robusta, it's hard to avoid comparisons to Arabica. So at Nordhavn Coffee Roasters, we don't put both coffees in the same cupping.

Philip and Yves say: "Robusta's unique flavor profile is only revealed under pressure extraction. That's why we always make our final decision based on the espresso from the sample. If you're interested in tasting the best Robusta coffee, make sure to taste it separately from Arabica and present the Robusta with espresso for comparison."

Taking Robusta seriously, it says the coffee industry has a responsibility to provide technical support to producers before there is an opportunity to improve production and processing procedures. However, we also need to form a stable market for Robusta with stable quality through regular purchases. This seems to be the only way out of low quality, low-price vicious cycle.

Perhaps the importer is the only role in the coffee industry supply chain capable of developing this business at scale. Specialty coffee roasters have a responsibility to work closely with the most transparent importers and support them in creating market demand for premium robusta.

Given the current drop in coffee prices and its impact on global producers, now is the time for roasters, baristas, and consumers to act because we are all part of the coffee supply chain. We need to reconsider some of the beliefs and prejudices against coffee producers, especially those who have no choice between Arabica and Robusta farming.

We need to use more critical thinking and reduce coffee snobbery. Before marking Robusta as inferior, the ugly duckling should be given the same chance as Arabica so that it can become the swan we admire.

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