Robusta is often regarded as the villain in the coffee world, responsible for everything wrong! And if you think this way, you don’t know robusta and haven’t embraced diversity.
The mainstream idea is Arabica, which accounts for an estimated 70 percent of the coffee in the world, is supreme compared to robusta, which accounts for 40 percent of the world’s coffee production, is nasty and cheap.
But Robusta is genuinely underrated, and even though it is widely disregarded by specialty coffee connoisseurs worldwide, it does make a delicious cup if it’s grown and processed with a focus on high quality.
That said, let’s take a look at Robusta’s characteristics and best uses in more detail.
What is Robusta Coffee?
There are hundreds of species of coffee to choose from, and Robusta has fared well to slot into the #2 position in the world’s coffee market.
Brewed from the seeds of the Coffea canephora plant, Robusta is one of three commercially grown varieties of coffee after Arabica and before Liberia and grows best at lower altitudes.
Even though Arabica used to dominate the world’s coffee space by a long shot (80/20), Robusta has accelerated to produce more than 40 percent of the coffee grown worldwide.
Surprising Facts About Robusta Coffee
There’s a lot about Robusta coffee you probably didn’t know, starting with:
- 1Robusta flowers require cross-pollination from wind, bees, and other insects. This trait brings about a variation in species and makes Robusta plants survive in different climatic environments and more resistant to disease.
- 2Robusta boasts low acidity levels than Arabica, making it a good choice for people with stomach ulcers. Due to its low acidity, Robusta coffee is less likely to cause teeth staining and protects your dental health.
- 3Robusta coffee is often less costly to produce and provides more yields per tree than Arabica.
Best Uses for Robusta Coffee
Any coffee aficionado will tell you that Robusta coffee tastes more acrider than Arabica, and I somewhat agree. Due to low cultivation and processing techniques, Robusta often tastes like burnt rubber, similar to gas station coffee.
Premium quality Robusta coffees possess more flavor characteristics and make excellent blend components to take espressos to the next level.
1
Robusta Beans are Caffeine Rich and Strong
Robusta beans contain more caffeine per bean, making it a stronger choice than Arabica coffee.
This high caffeine content is known to be beneficial in improving mental health and well-being in general.
So, if you’re a fan of bitter and strong coffee, Robusta is a great option. Regarding taste and flavor, Robusta sometimes tastes like dark chocolate and other unique flavors from the soil it’s grown.
2
Good for Instant Coffee
Robusta is widely used in some of the best instant coffee for several reasons, starting with its low cost.
As mentioned earlier, Robusta has a high caffeine content, which is great for instant coffees as they have much lower sugar and fat content.
This combination results in an earthy and bitter flavor that’s easy to tolerate when mixed with sugar and milk.
3
Produces a Better Crema
Robusta is widely used in some of the best instant coffee for several reasons, starting with its low cost.
As mentioned earlier, Robusta has a high caffeine content, which is great for instant coffees as they have much lower sugar and fat content.
This combination results in an earthy and bitter flavor that’s easy to tolerate when mixed with sugar and milk.
3 Best Robusta Coffee Beans
Even though the vast majority of coffee produced in America is with Arabica coffee beans, a handful of Robusta coffee brands are hard to overlook.
Biohazard bills itself as the “world’s strongest coffee,” and I’d have to say they aren’t kidding!
It is made from 100 percent Robusta beans and contains a whopping 928 mg of caffeine – enough to wake you up from the deepest dreams and keep you energized for most of the day.
This dark organic roast is packed with remarkably palatable flavor and provides 4x the energy as regular coffee and 2x the energy as most energy drinks.
Biohazard bills itself as the “world’s strongest coffee,” and I’d have to say they aren’t kidding!
It is made from 100 percent Robusta beans and contains a whopping 928 mg of caffeine – enough to wake you up from the deepest dreams and keep you energized for most of the day.
This dark organic roast is packed with remarkably palatable flavor and provides 4x the energy as regular coffee and 2x the energy as most energy drinks.
The Death Wish coffee bundle comes with a bag of dark roast and Columbian blend, each packed with some of the highest quality coffee beans in the world.
The Death Wish dark roast blend features dark chocolate and black cherry notes, and the Columbian blend is a mix of superior-quality Arabica beans and Indian Robusta beans.
Final Thoughts
Robusta coffee has garnered a bad rap over the years but has dramatically improved recently to become a hit in the coffee bean segment.
Some people love their coffee strong, and if that’s you, you can’t go wrong with Robusta.
The quality of Robusta coffee depends on how and where it is produced; just like anything else, including Arabica beans, there’s no shortage of low-grade Robusta coffee.
I’ve scoured this space and listed 3 best Robusta coffee beans that you can use to make tantalizing espressos and improve your overall well-being.