Arabica vs. Robusta - Why are some store bought coffees bitter?

Thumb Roast Coffee - Specialty Coffee made simple

First, we should say that there are over 120 different species of coffee plants. The top two are Arabica (about 70% of the world’s coffee production), and Robusta (about 30%) makes up most of the difference.

The main difference in the two are the flavor and the final result in your cup. 

Robusta plant in comparison to Arabica

1. Robusta has less sugar.
2. Robusta has almost double the amount of caffeine (which acts as a natural pest deterrent, making it easier and cheaper to produce).  
3. Robusta is also cheaper to harvest as it is grown at lower elevations (can use heavy machinery and less labor for harvest).
4. Less time for the plant to mature
5. The nature of the Robusta plant results in a more bitter taste due to the less sugar and higher acid level. 
6. Arabica has less caffeine, is sweeter, less acidic and overall a healthier coffee.

Examples of Robusta are most popular espresso roasts, Lavazza and Death Wish Coffee.  

Also, I thought it was important to point out that the FDA only requires that coffee available for sale must only contain 10% of a product in order to say it’s “that product”.  For example: if your label says Arabica but it is still fairly bitter, then most likely, it has Robusta used as a filler. I don’t usually make it a point to tell customers this information, with the exception of Kona coffee.  We have a company policy not to speak negatively or denigrate any other company that does things differently from us. However, as a part of education about coffee we want you to be fully informed about what you are buying, no matter which company you support.

Thumb Roast Coffee currently only offers and purchases Arabica, for a better tasting, healthier coffee for our consumers.

Our mission is to educate people about coffee, bring awareness to specialty coffee, and offer fresh, clean, quality coffee.  We also desire to help people understand how to get the most out of coffee without having to learn another language.  

Our next blog will be about Specialty Grade Arabica vs. basic Arabica.

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