Why Does an Arabica Coffee Bean Cost More Than Robusta?

Arabica coffee beans usually cost more than Robusta because the plant is harder to grow. It is vulnerable to pests and disease and yields well mainly at high altitude, often above 1,500 meters, so farming costs are higher. Arabica also makes up roughly 70 to 75 percent of global coffee production and is the base for most single-origin and specialty coffee.

The buying decision comes down to taste and origin. Arabica carries a balanced flavor profile and notable aroma, which is why drinkers in the United States and Japan favor it, while European espresso blends often mix arabica coffee with Robusta. Core origins to watch include Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Indonesia, each with its own varieties, processing methods, and grading standards.

Why is the price of Arabica coffee beans generally higher than that of Robusta? Which Arabica origins around the world are worth paying attention to? Starting from plant taxonomy, this article systematically sorts out Arabica's flavor advantages and cultivation weaknesses, and introduces one by one the variety characteristics, processing methods, and grading standards of core producing regions such as Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Indonesia. At the same time, drawing on the store selection experience of Front Street Coffee, it provides coffee lovers with a complete cognitive framework from producing region to cup, helping you find the one that suits your taste among the dazzling array of bean lists.

From the perspective of plant taxonomy, coffee belongs to the genus Coffea in the family Rubiaceae. There are at least more than one hundred species under this genus, and about eighty varieties of coffee trees have been confirmed so far. However, those actually cultivated artificially for drinking are mainly concentrated in three varieties: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica.

In terms of use, Arabica is usually used to make single-origin coffee or specialty coffee, while Robusta appears more often in instant coffee products. Although Arabica is habitually regarded as representing high quality and Robusta as second-tier, this division is not absolute, and choosing according to personal taste preference is more reasonable. In terms of consumption habits, coffee lovers in the United States and Japan more often drink the lighter coffee brewed from Arabica, while the European market prefers espresso made from blends of Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica advantages: high-grade coffee beans with outstanding flavor and aroma

Arabica originated in Ethiopia and is a highly representative variety of that country. It is also grown in southern Africa, other African countries, and parts of Asia, accounting for about 70% to 75% of total global coffee production. Because Arabica has relatively weak resistance to pests and diseases, it is more suitable for cultivation in high-altitude areas. In particular, Arabica coffee beans produced above 1,500 meters above sea level are usually of the best quality.

It is precisely this high quality obtained through intensive cultivation that gives Arabica a balanced flavor profile and aroma, enabling it to be recognized as a high-grade coffee bean, mainly used for single-origin coffee or specialty coffee. The three famous coffee beans—Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and Yemeni Mocha—all belong to the Arabica variety. Arabica green beans are dark and narrow in appearance, and highland-grown Arabica, hailed as the highest quality, is characterized by a rich layering of taste that combines sweetness, acidity, and aroma.

In terms of flavor, Arabica is widely recognized as the best-performing coffee bean and has been the main force in the specialty coffee consumer market since the rise of the specialty coffee concept. Take Typica, a subspecies of Arabica, as an example. It has excellent acidity and a very high cupping score, and as the oldest coffee variety it possesses a very outstanding genetic foundation. Geisha coffee beans, now highly sought after in the specialty coffee market, have conquered the taste buds of countless coffee lovers with their fresh floral aroma and pleasant acidity.

Arabica disadvantages

Arabica accounts for 70% of total coffee production, but its resistance to pests and diseases is relatively weak, and many varieties with stronger disease resistance were later bred for this reason. In addition, Arabica also has a large number of subvarieties formed through mutation or hybridization, such as Typica, Bourbon, and Geisha. In Front Street Coffee stores, Arabica subvariety coffee beans are quite abundant. For single-origin and specialty coffee, more than 50 kinds of coffee beans from different producing regions are offered, capable of satisfying different taste needs. In addition, Front Street Coffee stores also have more bean categories not yet listed for tasting.

Famous Arabica origin coffees

The rise of specialty coffee has not only drawn attention to the individuality of coffee, but also generated greater interest in the cultivation and processing conditions of producing regions. Next, Front Street Coffee will introduce the current situation of these high-profile producing regions.

Brazil

Brazil has the largest coffee planting area and production in the world. In recent years, domestic coffee consumption has also gradually risen, making it the world's second-largest coffee-consuming country after the United States. Brazil began producing coffee in 1727. Thanks to a suitable climate and vast fertile soil, its main producing regions are Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná in the southeast. However, in recent years the southern region has suffered frost damage, and cultivated land has gradually shifted northward. At present, large estates in the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais are actively introducing irrigation facilities and mechanized equipment, and coffee trees are also grown in diversified ways. In addition to Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, they also plant Conillon and other varieties resistant to pests and diseases.

Brazilian coffee usually has relatively low acidity, accompanied by the sweet-bitter taste of coffee. It is very smooth on the palate and also carries a light grassy fragrance. It is aromatic with a slight bitterness, sweet and smooth, and the aftertaste is refreshing and pleasant. Front Street Coffee selected a Bourbon coffee from Queen's Farm as the representative of Brazil. This coffee has a flavor with obvious nuts and chocolate, medium caramel sweetness, a smooth mouthfeel, and overall balance.

Cultivated varieties

Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, Mundo Novo, and Catuai, as well as Conillon.

Processing

Mainly natural processing, with some coffee beans using honey processing.

Grading method

Grades are distinguished from "No. 2" to "No. 6" according to screen size and number of defects. Screen size is S17 (6.75 mm) to S18 (7 mm). In a 300-gram sample, if the defect score from mixed defective beans is less than 11 points, it is rated as the highest grade "No. 2" (also called Type 2).

Colombia

On the slopes of the Andes, whose average altitude exceeds 4,000 meters, small estates on steep slopes at about 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level are Colombia's coffee-producing areas. Colombia is currently the world's third-largest coffee-producing country, after Brazil and Vietnam. Supporting Colombia's coffee industry is the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, which manages everything from coffee production to circulation and distribution and actively promotes specialty coffee. They choose to plant shade trees, hand-pick coffee cherries, and introduce the latest equipment suitable for small estates in order to reduce water use, adopting a different approach from neighboring Brazil to produce distinctive high-quality coffee beans. Colombia is located on the equator, and a notable feature is that there are two harvest periods each year.

Specialty-grade Colombian coffee (washed processing) often has citrus notes, nuts, and dark cocoa. It is overall smooth and rich, with dark cocoa as one of its major characteristics. At the same time, it has the delicate acidity endowed by high altitude, making it a rare high-quality coffee-producing country, perhaps the coffee-producing country with the most American character.

Cultivated varieties

Caturra, Castillo, Colombia Typica.

Processing

It can be harvested twice a year, from October to January and from April to June. Washed processing is the main method.

Grading method

Grades are distinguished by screen size. Coffee beans with a screen size of S17 (6.75 mm) or above are "Supremo"; coffee beans from S14 (5.5 mm) to S16 (6.5 mm) are rated "Excelso."

Panama

Panama can be said to be the most popular specialty coffee-producing country today, with estates standing everywhere in the country, including the famous Hacienda La Esmeralda, Finca Deborah, and Ninety Plus estates. The coffee varieties grown in Panama include Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai, but the variety most characteristic of Panama is mainly Geisha. Among the many estates, Front Street Coffee believes that the Geisha coffee produced by Hacienda La Esmeralda is the most representative.

Cultivated varieties

Mostly Caturra and Catuai, and the planted quantity of Geisha is also continuously increasing. In addition, Typica, rarely seen in Central America and not improved by breeding, is cultivated using traditional farming methods.

Processing

The harvest period is from September to March. Washed processing is the main method, with sun-drying or mechanical drying.

Grading method

Graded by the altitude of the producing region. From high to low altitude, they are rated "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB) and "Hard Bean" (HB).

Guatemala

Guatemala is a very typical volcanic country. Its famous Antigua producing region is surrounded by three volcanoes, and the volcanic ash soil provides sufficient nutrients for the growth of coffee trees. Including Antigua, Guatemala has several coffee-producing regions. Different regions have different growing environments and cultivation conditions, which form different regional flavors. But Front Street Coffee believes that the producing region most representative of Guatemala may be Antigua.

Among the many coffee beans from the Antigua producing region, Front Street Coffee selected a Flor del Café bean. Flor del Café is a coffee bean under La Minita. La Minita is famous for its excellent cultivation, processing technology, and extremely strict quality control. With such standards, they commissioned Las Pastores, the largest washing station in Antigua, to process the green beans, and named the coffee bean Flor del Café. In addition to retaining the original regional flavor, the dry aroma has a strong floral and tea fragrance. After entering the mouth, there is the acidity of lime and berry notes, which then turns into a honey finish. Excellent cleanliness and rich layering are the characteristics of this Flor del Café.

Cultivated varieties

Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, etc.

Processing

The harvest period is from September to April. Washed processing is the main method, with sun-drying or mechanical drying.

Grading method

Although it is graded by the altitude of the producing region, in many cases the grade is also determined by flavor. Producing regions above 1,300 meters above sea level are rated "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB); 1,200 to 1,300 meters are rated "Hard Bean" (HB); 900 to 1,050 meters are rated "Extra Prime Washed" (EPW).

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has been growing coffee for more than two hundred years. Its coffee industry is very mature, and it is one of the few countries in the world that prohibits the cultivation of Robusta coffee beans (even Catimor varieties are not allowed), so it can be said to be a country that attaches great importance to coffee quality. The characteristic of Costa Rican coffee beans comes from its unique honey processing method—retaining part of the mucilage during drying, which gives Costa Rica the characteristic of being as clean as washed coffee while also carrying a slight sweetness of natural coffee. Nuts form the main keynote, mixed with refreshing acidity, and it is full-bodied while carrying a sugar-like sweetness.

Cultivated varieties

Caturra, Catuai, etc. Costa Rican law prohibits the cultivation of Robusta.

Processing

The harvest period is from November to March. Honey processing is the main method, using a processing method in which the pulp is removed together with the parchment.

Grading method

Graded by the altitude of the producing region. From high to low altitude, they are rated "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), "Good Hard Bean" (GHB), and "Hard Bean" (HB).

Jamaica

In addition to Brazil, Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee is also a very balanced coffee. The Blue Mountain Range is located in the eastern part of the island of Jamaica. Because the mountains are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, on clear days when the sun shines directly on the azure sea, the peaks reflect the brilliant blue glow of the seawater, hence the name.

For many years, Blue Mountain coffee has been subject to strict export controls, and for a long time only washed Typica was exported to countries such as Japan. But until last year, Front Street Coffee also began to taste natural Typica in addition to washed Typica, and even Geisha coffee produced in Blue Mountain. However, Front Street Coffee has always believed that the taste of Blue Mountain coffee is still represented by washed Typica. Washed Blue Mountain coffee has citrus acidity, but the overall balance is strong, with nuts and dark cocoa in the middle, a lasting finish, and a mellow mouthfeel.

Cultivated varieties

Although Caturra production is gradually increasing on the surrounding islands, the vast majority in Jamaica is Typica.

Processing

The harvest period begins in October, mainly using washed processing.

Grading method

Blue Mountain has its own grading standard, distinguishing grades by screen size and number of defects. According to bean size, they are divided in order into "No. 1," "No. 2," and "No. 3." Other coffee beans are graded by altitude or screen size.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia can be said to be one of the most popular coffee-producing countries. As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has an enormous number of coffee varieties and can be described as a treasure trove of coffee varieties. However, variety identification is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and most are grown by small farmers. After harvest, mixed processing makes it difficult to subdivide varieties, so exported Ethiopian coffee beans are mostly collectively called "heirloom varieties."

The most representative Ethiopian coffee bean is none other than the washed coffee beans produced in Yirgacheffe. Ethiopia mainly uses natural processing, but the common natural processing method was often rough and produced many defective flavors, so in the last century the Yirgacheffe producing region introduced washed processing from the Americas, thereby making the coffee produced in Yirgacheffe famous.

There are indeed quite a few Ethiopian coffees on Front Street Coffee's bean list, such as Red Cherry Coffee, Huakui Coffee, Kochere, and many other highly recommended coffees. These coffees carry the classic citrus-lemon acidity of Yirgacheffe, delicate white floral notes, fruit, and a tea-like finish.

Mainly cultivates Typica, along with many other unique Ethiopian varieties.

Processing

Although traditional natural processing is often used, the proportion of washed processing is also gradually increasing.

Grading method

Grades are distinguished by the number of defects. From fewest to most defects, there are eight grades from "Grade1" to "Grade8." Only Grade1 to Grade5 are permitted for export.

Kenya

Kenya is another of Africa's most representative coffee-producing countries, with a highly recognizable berry profile that calls to mind fruits such as grapefruit, blackberry, and sour plum. Its extremely high acidity makes Kenyan coffee one of the most popular iced coffees in summer. Kenya's flavor keynote mostly comes from its SL28 & SL34 varieties and mature washed processing techniques.

Cultivated varieties

Mainly cultivates SL28 and SL34, selected varieties of Bourbon. SL is the abbreviation of Scott Laboratory, a coffee research institution located in Nairobi.

Processing

It can be harvested twice a year, from September to December and from May to July. Washed processing is the main method.

Grading method

Grades are distinguished by screen size. Coffee beans with a screen size above S18 (7 mm) are rated "AA"; S15 (6 mm) to S17 (6.75 mm) are rated "AB." Peaberry is rated "PB."

Indonesia

Composed of about 17,000 islands large and small, Java is the main coffee-producing region. Indonesia has a long history of coffee cultivation, but in the 1980s an outbreak of coffee leaf disease almost destroyed the Arabica variety. After that, it shifted to cultivating Robusta of the Conillon variety, which can resist pests and diseases, and it has now become the world's fourth-largest coffee-producing country.

Mandheling can be said to be synonymous with Indonesian coffee and is mainly grown in the Aceh Special Region of Sumatra. Arabica from Sumatra is generally called Mandheling, and it is also highly praised in the specialty coffee world. Others, such as Toraja from Sulawesi, are also coffees loved by many. In addition, Indonesia also has a unique production and processing method known as Sumatra semi-washed, characterized by drying in the green bean state.

On Front Street Coffee's bean list, a Golden Mandheling is recommended. Compared with ordinary Mandheling, Golden Mandheling undergoes multiple hand sortings, reducing many defective beans and poorly shaped beans. Therefore, in addition to the classic herbal spice flavor, Golden Mandheling coffee tastes cleaner and has a very smooth mouthfeel.

Cultivated varieties

Catimor, Typica, Robusta, etc.

Processing

The harvest period can be divided into two, from April to September and from November to March. Although natural processing is the main method, some coffee beans are still processed by the washed method.

Grading method

Grades are distinguished by screen size and number of defects. According to bean size, they are divided into "Large" and "Small." In addition, according to the number of defective beans, they are divided into five grades, rated from fewest to most as "Grade1" to "Grade5."

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.