Why Does the Arabica Coffee Bean Cost More Than Robusta?
Arabica coffee bean prices stay high because the species resists pests and disease poorly and needs high-altitude cultivation, often above 1,500 meters, where yields and available land are limited. In exchange it delivers balanced flavor, mouthfeel and aroma, which is why it dominates single-origin and specialty coffee while Robusta usually goes into instant coffee.
Coffee belongs to the genus Coffea in the family Rubiaceae, with more than a hundred species, though only Arabica, Robusta and Liberica are widely cultivated for drinking. Arabica accounts for roughly 70 to 75 percent of global production. Grading standards in Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya and Indonesia determine what buyers pay for arabica coffee.
Why are Arabica coffee beans more expensive? This article starts from plant taxonomy to analyze the differences among the three major cultivated species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. It explains that Arabica has superior flavor but weak disease resistance and is suited to high-altitude cultivation, and introduces the cultivation varieties, processing methods, and grading standards of well-known origins such as Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Indonesia. It also combines Front Street Coffee’s stores and bean list recommendations to help coffee lovers understand the pricing logic and purchasing direction of Arabica.
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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 species of coffee trees have been confirmed so far. Among them, there are mainly three varieties specifically cultivated for drinking coffee: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica.
Usually, Arabica is mostly used to make single-origin coffee or specialty coffee, while Robusta is often processed into instant coffee. Although Arabica can be regarded as high-quality coffee and Robusta as secondary, such a division is not absolute; distinguishing by personal flavor preference is actually more appropriate. In terms of taste tendencies, consumers in the United States and Japan more often drink the light coffee brewed from Arabica, while Europeans prefer espresso made from a blend of Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica advantages: premium coffee beans with first-class flavor and aroma
Arabica originated in Ethiopia and is the country’s representative variety. It is also grown in South Africa, Africa, and Asian countries, accounting for about 70%–75% of global coffee production. Arabica has relatively weak resistance to pests and diseases, so it is more suitable for cultivation in highland areas. In particular, Arabica coffee beans produced at highlands above 1,500 meters in altitude have the best quality.
Only after such painstaking effort can the excellent quality be obtained, with balanced flavor, mouthfeel, and aroma, and only then can it be recognized as premium coffee beans, mainly used for single-origin coffee or specialty coffee. The three famous coffee beans—Hawaii Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain, and Yemen Mocha—all belong to the Arabica variety. Arabica green beans have a dark, narrow, and elongated appearance and are praised as the highest-quality highland Arabica variety. Their characteristic lies in rich layers of taste such as sweetness, acidity, and aroma.
In terms of flavor, Arabica coffee beans are considered the best coffee beans and have always occupied the specialty coffee consumer market since the rise of the specialty coffee concept. Take Typica coffee under Arabica as an example. It has high-quality acidity and a very high cupping score, and as the oldest coffee variety, it possesses excellent genes. Geisha coffee beans, now known to everyone in the specialty coffee market, have conquered the taste buds of many coffee lovers with their fresh floral aroma and pleasant acidity.
The shortcomings of Arabica
Arabica accounts for 70% of total coffee production, but its resistance to pests and diseases is relatively weak, so many varieties with strong disease resistance were later bred. In addition, Arabica has many sub-varieties formed by mutation or hybridization, such as Typica, Bourbon, and Geisha. In Front Street Coffee stores, coffee beans of Arabica sub-varieties are not uncommon. For single-origin and specialty coffee, more than 50 kinds of coffee beans from different producing areas are listed, which can satisfy different taste needs. In addition, Front Street Coffee stores also have more bean categories not yet listed for tasting.
Coffee from famous Arabica origins
The emergence of specialty coffee has not only drawn attention to coffee’s individuality, but also made everyone more interested in the cultivation or processing conditions of the origins. Next, Front Street Coffee will introduce the current situation of these origins that have attracted worldwide attention.
Brazil
Brazil is the world’s largest coffee country in terms of coffee planting area and production. In recent years, domestic coffee consumption in Brazil has also gradually increased, making it the world’s second-largest consumer after the United States. Brazil began producing coffee in 1727. Because the climate is suitable for growing coffee trees and it has vast fertile soil, the main producing areas are Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná in the southeast. However, in recent years the southern region has suffered frost damage, and the cultivated area has gradually moved 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 planted in diversified ways. In addition to Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, Conilon is also grown for resistance to pests and diseases.
Brazilian coffee mostly has lower acidity. Combined with the coffee’s bittersweet taste, it is extremely smooth on the palate and also carries a light grassy aroma. It is slightly bitter within its fresh aroma, smooth and pleasant, with a refreshing and enjoyable aftertaste. Front Street Coffee selected a Bourbon coffee from Queen Farm as the representative of Brazil. The coffee has obvious nutty and chocolate flavors, medium caramel sweetness, a smooth mouthfeel, and overall balance.
Cultivated varieties
Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, Mundo Novo, and Catuai, as well as Conilon, etc.
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 lower than 11 points, it is rated as the highest grade “No. 2” (also called Type 2).
Colombia
The coffee-producing areas of Colombia are small estates on the steep slopes at about 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level at the foot of the Andes, whose average altitude exceeds 4,000 meters. Colombia is currently the world’s third-largest coffee-producing country, after Brazil and Vietnam. The Colombian coffee industry is supported by 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. Different from neighboring Brazil, they produce distinctive high-quality coffee beans. Located on the equator, the country is characterized by two harvest periods each year.
Specialty-grade Colombian coffee (washed process) 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 refined acidity bestowed by high altitude, making it a rare high-quality coffee-producing country and perhaps the coffee-producing country with the most distinctive American character.
Cultivated varieties
Caturra, Castillo, Colombian Typica.
Processing
It can be harvested twice a year, from October to January and from April to June. Mainly washed processing.
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 as “Excelso.”
Panama
Panama can be said to be the most popular specialty coffee-producing country today, with many estates in the country, such as 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, traditional farming methods are used to grow Typica, which is rarely seen in Central America and has not undergone variety improvement.
Processing
The harvest period is from September to March. Mainly washed processing, with sun-drying or mechanical drying.
Grading method
Graded by the altitude of the producing area. From high to low altitude, they are rated as “Strictly Hard Bean” (SHB) and “Hard Bean” (HB).
Guatemala
Guatemala is a very typical volcanic country. Its famous Antigua producing area is surrounded by three volcanoes, and the volcanic ash soil provides sufficient nutrients for the growth of coffee trees. Including Antigua, Guatemala has multiple coffee-producing areas. Different producing areas have different growing environments and conditions, which creates the flavors of different regions. However, Front Street Coffee believes that the most representative producing area of Guatemala may be Antigua.
Among the many coffee beans in the Antigua producing area, Front Street Coffee selected a La Flor coffee bean. La Flor is a coffee bean under La Minita. La Minita is famous for its excellent cultivation and processing techniques and extremely strict quality control. With such standards, they commissioned Las Pastores, the largest local washed processing plant in Antigua, to process the green beans and named the coffee beans La Flor. In addition to retaining the original regional flavor, the dry aroma carries rich floral and tea notes. After entering the mouth, there is the acidity of lime and berry flavors, which then turns into a honey finish. Excellent cleanliness and rich layers are the characteristics of this La Flor.
Cultivated varieties
Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, etc.
Processing
The harvest period is from September to April. Mainly washed processing, with sun-drying or mechanical drying.
Grading method
Although it is graded by the altitude of the producing area, many times the grade is also determined by flavor. Producing areas above 1,300 meters in altitude are rated as “Strictly Hard Bean” (SHB); 1,200–1,300 meters are rated as “Hard Bean” (HB); 900–1,050 meters are rated as “Extra Prime Washed” (EPW).
Costa Rica
Costa Rica has been growing coffee for more than 200 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 (not even Catimor varieties are allowed). It can be said to be a country that attaches great importance to coffee quality. The characteristics of Costa Rican coffee beans come from its unique honey processing method—retaining part of the mucilage for drying, which gives Costa Rica the characteristic of being as clean as washed coffee while also carrying a slight sweetness like natural coffee. Nuts form the main基调, while it is 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. Mainly honey processing, using a processing method that removes the pulp together with the parchment.
Grading method
Graded by the altitude of the producing area. From high to low altitude, they are rated as “Strictly Hard Bean” (SHB), “Good Hard Bean” (GHB), and “Hard Bean” (HB).
Jamaica
In addition to Brazil, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is also a very balanced coffee. The Blue Mountain range is located in the east of Jamaica Island. Because the mountains are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, whenever the weather is clear, the sun shines directly on the azure sea, and the peaks reflect the brilliant blue light of the sea, hence the name.
For many years, Blue Mountain coffee has been subject to strict export controls. For a long time, only washed Typica was produced for 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 with a strong overall balance, a middle section of nuts and dark cocoa, a long finish, and a full-bodied mouthfeel.
Cultivated varieties
Although on the surrounding islands the production of Caturra is gradually increasing, in Jamaica the vast majority is Typica.
Processing
The harvest period begins in October, mainly washed processing.
Grading method
Blue Mountain has its own grading standard, distinguishing grades by screen size and number of defects, and in order of bean size they are divided into “No.1,” “No.2,” and “No.3.” Other coffee beans are graded by altitude or screen size, etc.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia can be said to be one of the most popular coffee-producing countries. As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has a huge number of coffee varieties and can be called a treasure trove of coffee varieties. However, variety identification is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and most are grown by smallholders. 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 bean produced in Yirgacheffe. Ethiopia mainly uses natural processing, but the common natural processing method is often roughly done and mostly carries defective flavors. Therefore, in the last century, the Yirgacheffe producing area introduced washed processing from the Americas, which made the coffee produced in the Yirgacheffe producing area 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 recommendable coffees. These coffees carry the classic citrus-lemon acidity of Yirgacheffe, gentle white floral notes, and fruity, tea-like finish.
Mainly cultivated Typica, and there are also many unique Ethiopian varieties.
Processing
Although traditional natural methods are mostly used, the proportion of washed processing is also gradually increasing.
Grading method
Grades are distinguished by the number of defects. From few to many defects, there are eight grades from “Grade1” to “Grade8.” It is stipulated that only Grade1 to Grade5 may be exported.
Kenya
Kenya is another of Africa’s most representative coffee-producing countries, with a highly recognizable berry profile that reminds people of 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 base mostly comes from its SL28 & SL34 varieties and mature washed processing techniques.
Cultivated varieties
Mainly cultivated are SL28 and SL34, selected and bred varieties of Bourbon. SL is the abbreviation of “Scott Laboratory,” a coffee research institution in Nairobi.
Processing
It can be harvested twice a year, from September to December and from May to July. Mainly washed processing.
Grading method
Grades are distinguished by screen size. Coffee beans with a screen size of S18 (7 mm) or above are rated “AA,” and 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 Island is the main coffee-producing area. Indonesia, with a long history of coffee cultivation, suffered an outbreak of coffee leaf disease in the 1980s, which almost completely destroyed the Arabica variety. After that, it switched to growing Robusta of the Conilon variety, which can resist pests and diseases, and now it has become the world’s fourth-largest coffee-producing country.
Mandheling can be said to be synonymous with Indonesian coffee. It is mainly grown in the Aceh Special Region of Sumatra. Generally, Arabica from Sumatra Island is called Mandheling, and it is also well received in the specialty coffee world. Others, such as Toraja from Sulawesi Island, are also loved by many people. In addition, Indonesia also has a unique production and processing method called 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 unattractive beans. Therefore, Golden Mandheling coffee, in addition to the classic herbal spice taste, is even cleaner and has a very smooth mouthfeel.
Cultivated varieties
Catimor, Typica, Robusta, etc.
Processing
The harvest period can be divided into two times, namely April to September and November to March. Although natural processing is mainly used, 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 few to many as “Grade1” to “Grade5.”
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
