Before differentiating these two coffees, it is important to clarify that there are many levels in the botany, or taxonomy, of coffee.
Coffee Hierarchy - n.f.
The Kingdom
Plantae, it is simply a plant. Nothing surprising here. The coffee tree performs photosynthesis, is rooted in the soil, and does not move. Welcome to the plant kingdom, alongside trees, mosses, and algae.
The Division
Angiosperms, concretely, this is the large family of plants that produce flowers, which then yield a fruit enclosing the seeds.
The Class
Dicotyledons. Here we start to lose some people, but to put it simply, when the seed germinates, it first sprouts two small leaves.
The Order
Gentianales, which have simple, opposite, or whorled leaves.
The Family
Coffee belongs to the family of plants Rubiaceae, which includes, for example, bedstraw and dyer's madder.
The Genus
Within Rubiaceae, we find the genus Coffea or coffee tree.
The Species
There are about 124 species of coffee, but 2 of them are mainly cultivated: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (which is often associated with Robusta as it is its most common variety). Two other species can be mentioned: Coffea liberica and Coffea excelsa, both edible, but whose presence is anecdotal.
The Variety
Our two main species produce more than 100 different varieties. Similar to grape varietals in wine, they can be either natural mutations or crosses of two varieties, in order to adapt to environmental constraints (heat resistance and humidity adaptation), terroir specificities (soil, altitude), and address various issues (productivity and disease resistance). We can cite common varieties such as Typica, Bourbon, Catuai, or Pacamara, which themselves have given rise to numerous sub-varieties, whose details we will spare you here.
Differences - n.f.
If asked, you would probably say that Arabica is much better and less powerful than Robusta. But do you know why and what are the specific characteristics of each of these species currently available on the coffee market?
Arabica
It originated in Ethiopia. This species only grows between 600m and 2400m altitude, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 24°C, which allows it to ensure good maturity by developing its full aromatic complexity and particular acidity. Arabica is relatively sensitive to diseases depending on the variety.
The species represents 57% of the world market. Thus, not all Arabica coffees are of equivalent quality. Superior quality will depend on multiple factors such as terroir quality, soil work, coffee processing, altitude, or even agroforestry to protect plantations from the sun. The majority of production comes from Latin and Central America, as well as East Africa.
Robusta
Its discovery came late, in the 1870s in Congo. It is significantly more resistant than Arabica to diseases and high temperatures (22 to 30°C), and grows at low altitudes between 0 and 700m. Robusta is therefore easier to cultivate and, above all, less expensive. It represents 43% of the world market and is mainly intended for instant coffee, blends, and some capsules.
From an aromatic point of view, it is generally not very complex, powerful, and bitter. Its caffeine content is twice as high as Arabica, largely responsible for the bitterness. The majority of Robusta is produced in Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, and India), Brazil, and West Africa.
Celsius currently works only with high-quality specialty Arabica coffees. This does not mean that Robusta should be banned. With the constraints linked to global warming, it will become increasingly difficult to produce quality Arabica, and it seems plausible to have to turn to alternative solutions in the coming decades, such as Robusta. We are witnessing the emergence of specialty Robusta coffee, and we are convinced that its quality will continue to improve over the years.
