Robusta Coffee – dispelling negative perceptions.

Perceptions

For those who believe that arabica beans make the best coffee in the world and is the only coffee worth drinking and think that all Robusta coffee is inferior...they have been sadly misled. These people have denied themselves the chance to experience the many fine qualities of Robusta coffee. 

A prized variety of Robusta coffee just before harvest, January 2023

I really do not know how those perceptions originated or when they were first promoted among the coffee drinking industry as the best choice to base the industry. But you can find negative taste descriptors widely repeated on the internet and I suspect from people who have not had properly processed, roasted and brewed, high quality, superior flavoured Robusta beans. A stigma also perpetuated by coffee drinkers who have probably never tasted Robusta coffee but just went along with the hype.

Culture and influence

An implication of the perceived superiority of arabica beans suggests that all arabica coffee tastes really good. However, it is likely that many serious coffee drinkers have at one time or another, tasted some really bad arabica brew. The reality is that people, across the many cultures of the world, have different preferences in taste, and in the type of brew that they enjoy. Depending on where you live, internet access and search results are often dominated by western views and preferences, which may influence the opinions of the uninformed who seek objective, evidence based information. In other words, market perceptions are often influenced by bias and sometimes established, unfounded beliefs. Fortunately, there appears to be a slowly emerging recognition of the quality and appreciation of Robusta coffee as an unblended brew.

Robusta flavour notes

Just as is the case for arabicas, not all Robusta’s are created equal. In Trinidad and Tobago, we have at least 21 varieties of Robusta coffee, some of them having been introduced by the British colonial government in the early 1900s. Of these 21 varieties, at least nine have superior flavours as determined by a group of coffee connoisseurs using the Speciality Coffee Association’s Cupping Protocol. 

Robusta coffee...ready to please the palate

Key flavour notes detected included: cocoa/chocolate, nutty, and spicy with low acidity. Psychological notes on these coffees were: ‘heart warming’, ‘brings a smile after the second sip’, ‘relaxes the soul’ and ‘bring more!’. These former arabica only coffee drinkers, are now devotees of these Robusta coffee beans!

The uninitiated

However, there are some people who prefer to stay with only arabica...and that is fine...whatever pleases them. So, Cafe Vega has introduced a specially selected micro-lot, high quality arabica coffee from a small community in Colombia to meet the needs of those who prefer that type of coffee. This flexibility on our part will help expand our market share and satisfy the uninitiated.