Have you ever wondered as to what really is the component of your favorite gourmet coffee?
In case you never found out it is Arabica beans. When it comes to coffee there are primarily two kinds of beans that are used to brew, those are Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica beans are considered by the majority as the gourmet coffee beans of choice for their richer aroma, and vastly superior taste. In contrast Robusta are more bitter tasting and also have more caffeine than Arabica.
The debate between Premium or Regular coffee and Arabica Vs Robusta beans is primarily one of Quality Vs Quantity. The former being quality while the latter being quantity.
Robusta beans are very forgiving as to which environment they can be grown in and are thus grown in a variety of environment. They also require lesser production time and can be available for sale more quicker than Arabica. Thus many breweries, usually the ones which make instant coffee, will prefer Robusta beans for their brews.
Arabica on the other hand is very picky as to which environment it will grow in and requires a temperature between 15 and 20 degrees centigrade. It also has a significantly longer growing period and the crop will typically take as much as 4 to 5 years to reach a stage where it can be harvested. However the end product of such a long process is also vastly superior in quality.
Many breweries, to find a balance between cost and quality often mix Arabica and Robusta beans to keep the flavor while keeping the costs down. However this is not what we would consider gourmet.
