Find out how Robusta coffee has an unforgettable taste

Referring to coffee with high caffeine content, people will immediately mention our Robusta coffee. In addition, Robusta is also known as Voi coffee. This coffee variety also produces between 90 and 95% of the country's total production. Although Robusta coffee is quite popular, very few people understand the definition of Robusta coffee. Therefore, the following article of Aeroco Coffee will help you better understand this interesting plant.

Definition of Robusta coffee (Vai coffee)
In the 1800s, the first coffee trees were found in Congo, Belgium. Later, this coffee variety was brought to Southeast Asia in the 1900s. However, unfortunately, a rust disease caused Robusta to be washed away in many countries.

Robusta coffee is one of the coffees with a large output in Vietnam, grown mainly in the Central Highlands, concentrated in 5 provinces such as: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Dak Nong. Lam Dong. Robusta is derived from robusta- meaning strong, so the taste of this coffee is very strong, and contains a lot of caffeine, giving them a very characteristic coffee taste.

In addition, Voi coffee likes to live in the tropics, with an altitude of less than 1000m above sea level. The plant's preferred temperature is around 24-29C, and rainfall is over 1,000 mm.

Robusta coffee is divided into 3 common types, sieve 13, sieve 16 and sieve 18 based on factors such as size, moisture, impurities, broken black bean ratio, and grain to sieve ratio. The specific characteristics of each type of coffee are as follows:

Robusta coffee

► See more: Roasted coffee beans and the story behind the great taste

Features of 13 . sieve Robusta coffee
- Coffee beans that pass sieve 13 are 5 mm larger than the sieve hole.

- Rate of black seeds, damaged up to 5%.

- Concentration of impurities up to 1%.

- Maximum humidity 15%.

Characteristics of Robusta coffee sieve 16
- The grain on the sieve has a sieve hole diameter of 6.3 mm.

- Maximum humidity 15%.

- Black seed rate, maximum damage 2%.

- Concentration of impurities up to 0.5%.

Characteristics of Robusta coffee 18 . sieve
- The diameter of coffee beans, also known as sieve hole size, is 7.1 mm.

- Maximum humidity 12.5%.

- Black seed rate, maximum damage 2%.

- Concentration of impurities up to 0.5%.

- Minimum 90% on sieve 18 (7.1mm).

Robusta coffee taste and quality
Surely everyone knows Robusta is most commonly used in our country because of its unforgettable flavor. Really, it's hard to describe what a cup of coffee tastes like. But, according to people who are knowledgeable and knowledgeable about coffee, Robusta when tasting has a wood taste, a burnt rubber smell. It has a sour taste but the acidity is not too high. The reason for this is the rather high caffeine content in Robusta.

When you smell unroasted Robusta coffee, it will smell like fresh peanuts. The smell of pure roasted Robusta coffee will have a faint aroma. When you smell it closely, it smells like burned rubber. The taste is generally darker, more acrid and bitter than Arabica. In addition, Robusta is often processed dry, resulting in a more bitter taste, from seeds to wood and soil.

Comparison between Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee

Comparison between Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee

When comparing  Arabica and Robusta which is better, people will feel and judge based on the taste of each. Arabica coffee has a mild bitter taste, pure gentle aroma due to the caffeine content of Arabica beans only from 1-2%. Robusta has a bitter, slightly acidic taste and a stronger aroma than Arabica because the caffeine content in Robusta beans accounts for 2-4%.

That is why many people prefer the taste of Arabica over Robusta because of its mild and moderate purity. However, in some countries, they prefer the sour and bitter taste of Robusta coffee. Today, to create the perfect flavor for coffee, people often mix both types of coffee together in certain proportions. For example, Italian Espresso coffee often uses the ratio of Arabica: Robusta according to the formula 9 : 1 to get a little sour taste of Robusta blended to enhance the taste of pure Arabica.

Arabica coffee has a caffeine content of only 1-2%, so it has a mild bitter taste, a gentle aroma and a sweet and sour taste. As for Robusta beans, due to the higher caffeine content than Arabica, accounting for 2-4%, the taste is somewhat darker.

Therefore, according to experts and "coffee connoisseurs", Arabica beans will give a more delicious, diverse and delicate flavor than Robusta. However, for Vietnam - the capital of Robusta, the taste of Arabica beans is still quite new. People are more "infatuated" with Robusta's rich bitter taste, especially when mixed with condensed milk. That's why the culture of "coffee with iced milk" is favored by Vietnamese people.

► See more: Clean coffee production process at Aeroco Coffee

With this information, Aeroco Coffee hopes you will understand more about  Robusta coffee to have a comprehensive view of this unique coffee that few people know.