Coffee 101: What's an Arabica bean?
I usually like to come in to work at least 30-45 minutes early so I have a chance to brew a nice big cup of coffee. By the time my morning ritual is over, I have energy coursing through my veins and I am officially wide awake! I feel energetic, inspired, and ready to tackle any scientific problems that are thrown at me. Move over Darwin - Francis is ready to make history! When I picked up my can of coffee this morning, I noticed a small phrase towards the bottom of the can: "100% Arabica Coffee Beans". What is arabica, and are there other beans? Fear not reader, yours truly did some sleuthing to find out!
Arabica coffee beans originate from a particular species of coffee plants known as Coffea arabica. Most commercial coffee growers and coffee connoisseurs alike consider arabica beans superior to those of the next most widely cultivated species of coffee, Coffea canephora (also known as "robusta" beans). It's estimated that arabica beans make up about 80% of all coffee produced in the world. These two plants grow in very different environments which causes significant differences in the chemical composition of the beans and their flavor profile.
Figure 1. Arabica berries and beans Figure 2. Robusta berries and beans
Robusta beans grow at a lower altitude and contain double the amount of caffeine that their arabica cousins have. As a result of their immense caffeine content, they are much easier to grow as they are resistant to pests and disease. In fact, robusta beans are significantly cheaper than arabica beans due to their different growing requirements. So why aren't these more widely consumed? It's all about the flavor!
Arabica beans are known for their extraordinary depth of flavor when roasted, whereas robusta beans have a rather harsh flavor profile. They produce very strong, bitter notes which are used by some coffee brewers to either use as filler in lower-end blends or to add a depth of flavor in espresso, where bitterness is already expected.
So there you have it folks - if you're hardcore, you'd probably get the most caffeine for your dollar with robusta beans. While I agree that arabica beans have much more complex flavors, never be afraid to push society aside and just drink what you think tastes wonderful! Because, as Taylor Swift would say:
