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THE ADVANTAGES OF ADDING ROBUSTA TO BLENDS


Despite the associations to being of lower quality than arabica, there are a number of benefits to including robusta in blends.

It is particularly beneficial for espresso blends as it produces a more pronounced crema than arabica. Crema is the layer of reddish-brown foam on the surface of espresso which accentuates the body and mouthfeel of espresso. 

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Philip notes some other reasons why roasters might use robusta in blends.

“Robusta can add a certain smoothness, as well as light, earthy, and spicy notes,” he says.

Jamie Treby is a strategist for green coffee trader DRWakefield, which offers around 15 robusta coffees. 

“Robusta can add bitterness, sweetness, depth, and flavour,” he tells me. “Indian robusta will have more molasses and spice notes, whereas Vietnamese robusta will generally have more chocolate, puffed rice, and fine leather flavours. Robusta grown in Java and Guatemala, meanwhile, often has more soft cocoa notes.

“And with different processing variables, there will be a whole new range of flavours to experience,” he adds.

Andrew points out the popularity of milk-based beverages in coffee shops, and how robusta is often preferred in these drinks.

“The majority of coffee drinks consumed in the US, the UK, and other European markets are milk-based,” he tells me. “Robusta has a very classic flavour profile, with more bitterness and less bright acidity that can clash with the creaminess of milk.

“A lot of the nuance of high-quality arabica can disappear when combined with milk – is it worth it to make a cappuccino using a Cup of Excellence-winning arabica coffee? If you minimise the off-tastes and defects, robusta is an excellent base for many milk-based beverages,” he says.

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So, are roasters adding more robusta to blends?


Jamie tells me that it’s mainly larger commercial roasters who purchase more robusta, but he has noticed that “some smaller roasters have been including robusta in their offerings for some time now”.

He believes this could be attributed to increasing coffee prices.

“Fine robusta is still generally cheaper than arabica, even with similar farming practices and quality control,” he says. “I’m sure there are roasters who have been tempted to buy more robusta when they perhaps previously would not have.”

Philip also notes that there has been a correlation between arabica prices increasing and roasters looking for cheaper alternatives – often robusta.