Two Commercial Species of Coffee

© 2007 The George Howell Coffee Company

ROBUSTA
  • 33% of the world's coffee production,
  • cheaper to grow than Arabica,
  • heartier plant than Arabica,
  • up to twice the caffeine content of Arabica,
  • used for most commercial brands of coffee,
  • brewed Robusta adds a brown pigment to the finished cup, giving it an artificially "richer" look, and produces an un-sweet, neutral to terrible tasting cup—typically; tastes similar to what a wet brown paper bag smells like.


ARABICA
  • 67% of the world's coffee production,
  • more expensive to grow,
  • more delicate plant,
  • less caffeine than Robusta, and
  • the starting point for producing good coffee (nevertheless, most Arabicas are no better than Robustas - due to poor production procedures).