S1: Episode 10: We Need To Talk About Robusta
Specialty coffee is all about the beans from the Arabica coffee plant which are complex and varied in flavour. But there is another coffee species called Robusta, widely used in cheap, high volume coffee products, which is potentially more resilient than Arabica to the threats posed to coffee production by global climate change. As the future of coffee may well lie with Robusta this episode takes a deep dive into its current situation - where it grows, what it tastes like and in this week’s FACQ, what your options are for tracking down Robusta coffee to try for yourself.
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Hello and welcome to The Coffee Drinker’s Guide, a podcast for the coffee curious where I explore and explain the world of specialty coffee to make your daily coffee better and more satisfying.
I’m Angela Holder a coffee roaster and writer on a mission to fight back against bad coffee by giving you the knowledge you need to help you get good coffee and a happier (coffee) life in coffee-break sized episodes. So grab your coffee, pull up a chair and take a break…
In the last episode, I mentioned a type of coffee called Robusta in relation to bitterness in coffee, but I realise that the name Robusta probably doesn’t mean much to most people… so this episode is a deep dive into this much reviled commercial coffee...
… and in the answer to this episode’s question I’ll be telling you how to find some to try for yourself….
Before I started working in the coffee industry I had no idea that there were different species of coffee plant and many hundreds of varieties whose seeds become the coffee beans that we drink. However once I started work in a specialty cafe I quickly learnt that of the two main commercial coffee species, Arabica was Good (with a capital G) and Robusta was Bad (with a capital B). With this built in bias in specialty coffee and with so much to explore in Arabica coffee it took a while for me to discover that while Robusta’s poor reputation was justified, it was perhaps unfair…
Occasionally I shake up the order of the usual segments when it is appropriate, so firstly Robusta and the bean…
Of the hundred or so coffee species on the planet just two have had an iron grip on the coffee drinking world for the last 100 years: Arabica and Robusta. Both can only be grown commercially in the sub-tropics, but they each occupy different climatic zones. Arabica grows at altitudes above 800m developing complex flavours and sweetness in their beans while Robusta can grow from sea level to about 800m and produces beans that are… less appealing to the palate, shall we say. As the name suggests, Robusta coffee plants are more robust and resistant to the pests and diseases that plague the more tender Arabica coffee plants. The other notable difference between the two is that Robusta coffee beans naturally have around twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica beans. For many years there has been a strict division in the market for the coffees from these two plants, with Arabica cornering the Specialty Coffee scene and Robusta being relegated to mass market, dare I say, industrial coffee. This is in part because Robusta beans are habitually treated more poorly than Arabica beans. They are cheaply processed and more defects are allowed to remain in the green beans sold to roasters. As a result it has become the staple ingredient of high volume cheap coffee products such as instant coffee. With climate change threatening Arabica coffee production but not Robusta, there have been moves to rehabilitate Robusta’s poor image. The idea that Robusta can also be a gourmet product is gaining ground as roasters are discovering that with proper treatment, better processing and improved grading Robusta can provide an interesting and pleasant cup of coffee. But for me, the jury is still out….
Next Robusta and the brew
Commonly used in commercial espresso blends, Robusta supplies the big mouthfeel and heavy crema prized by many espresso drinkers. Robusta coffee can be brewed through any method although filter and siphon brewing methods are likely to expose the more undesirable elements of its flavours. However due to its general poor quality and cheap price point Robusta is usually used as a filler in blends. The fastest and easiest way to brew Robusta is by making a cup of cheap instant coffee.
Finally Robusta and the taste
Harsh, astringent, cardboardy, paper bag, rubber, dirty and bitter. These are the tastes and flavours that I associate with Robusta beans. However they are not necessarily intrinsic to the coffee, as they are mostly the result of poor post-harvest processing and grading which allows producers to keep the coffee cheap enough to use in large quantities for instant coffee and espresso blends. Characteristically Robusta is low in acidity and fruitiness due to being grown at low altitudes and is very bitter due to its caffeine content - and the fact that it is usually very darkly roasted in order to hide the flavour of defective beans. I have yet to taste any Gourmet Robusta but when I do and if it lives up to its billing I will update you…
Each episode I answer a Frequently Asked Coffee Question. And this episode’s question is:
Where can I buy Robusta?
In the UK, supermarket coffee packets rarely - if ever - admit to containing Robusta whereas in Europe you may have more luck - many years ago before I knew what Robusta was I bought a bag of coffee in a French supermarket that said it was 100% Robusta - and had a very buzzy afternoon after drinking it! - so check the ingredients listed on the bag. Your best bet to source Gourmet Robusta beans is on the internet. It's highly unlikely at the moment that a Third Wave specialty coffee roaster anywhere would stock Robusta, given its reputation. When you do find it for sale, it will most likely be as a dark roast for espresso brewing due to its characteristically low acidity, heavy body and great crema. Remember that it has twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica, so watch the number of cups that you drink in a day - unless you need the buzz!
Thank you for listening to this episode of The Coffee Drinker’s Guide and that was all about Robusta. I hope you found this useful. Let me know if it made you curious enough to seek out some Robusta coffee to try - and what you thought of it! In the next episode we are getting into something that Robusta is often found in and that is coffee blends. What else goes into a blend you may be asking? You won’t want to miss this one so hit follow to subscribe and tune in next time to find out. If you know someone who loves coffee as much as you do please tell them about the show and rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts to help other coffee curious people find the show too. If you have a question about coffee or a topic that you would like me to cover please get in touch. I’m on Instagram @thecoffeedrinkersguide or email me at thecoffeedrinkersguide@gmail.com Thanks to my executive producer Viel Richardson at Lusona Publishing and Media Limited. You can find him at lusonapub.co.uk. Until next time I’m Angela Holder thanks for taking your coffee break with me - the best way to tackle life is one coffee at a time and here’s to better coffee!
The Coffee Drinker’s Guide is a Blue Sky Coffee Project