Among coffee enthusiasts, Arabica is often treated as the only respectable choice, while Robusta is dismissed as crude, harsh, or fit only for instant coffee. But lived experience—especially with good beans—has a way of challenging comfortable assumptions.
That having been said, and from what I understand through experience, both Arabica and Robusta benefit greatly from being of specialty, high quality. Most coffee enthusiasts—by which I mean purists—make coffee at home using Arabica alone. I am not sure if there exists even one professional, high-quality café that includes at least one Robusta-based coffee recipe in its catalogue.
Robusta beans are more widely produced in the world because they are easier to grow, require fewer pesticides, offer higher yield, and can be grown at nearly any altitude. Therefore, they are cheaper. They are commonly found in mass-produced coffee, whether instant or regular.
Me being me—someone who needs self-proof—I have bought high-quality Robusta beans a few times. What I have found, aside from what others say, is that quality and brand matter a lot. One particular brand that charges similarly to other higher-end brands here in India did not deliver the same quality. Even their Arabica turned out to be inferior compared to other high-priced options. The same held true for their Robusta.
So, if someone buys Robusta from this particular brand and judges Robusta based on that experience alone, they would likely form the wrong opinion—that Robusta is terrible for a black coffee with high expectations. In contrast, the same Robusta bean tasted much better when sourced from another brand I had tried earlier.
I am not saying Robusta is as good as Arabica. But the nuances of even Robusta can only be experienced when it comes from a high-quality source. A good Robusta does give a satisfying overall experience, although it is different.
There is a beauty in its bitterness. There is a beauty of its own in its mild but much less complex flavor and aroma. It is a more dense coffee for the same quantity of beans used. I like it.
Would I prefer this over Arabica? No. But this is also good when well made.
Usually, coffee enthusiasts like trying different kinds of coffee. For such people, Robusta could be one worth trying. And as a side bonus, even at specialty-level pricing, these are slightly lower priced.
Developing a taste for a lighter aroma and a bitter but stronger coffee takes some time too. And since Robusta does not have a complex flavor profile, one can sip it even when it is slightly hot—unlike Arabica, which needs to be almost at room temperature to appreciate the different elements in its flavor.
One big practical challenge at this time, though, is that Robusta is not sold with a light roast at all—at least, I have not come across any. So the comparison is not strictly apples to apples.
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