Although there are over twenty species of coffee plant, only two account for the majority of commercial coffee sold worldwide: arabica and robusta. The story of arabica and robusta coffee beans is really a story about quantity vs. quality.

Robusta coffee beans constitute the majority of low-quality mass-produced pre-ground coffee blends and freeze-dried coffee found in jars and cans. You can buy a lot of robusta coffee beans for your money, but they tend to be bitter and bland. One coffee critic compared the chief flavor constituent of robusta coffee beans to that of "a brown paper bag."

Yes, the flavor difference between arabica and robusta coffee beans is enormous! In contrast, arabica coffee beans are the world's most flavorful beans. The list of arabica beans reads like a "Who's Who" of the coffee world: Costa Rican Tarrazu, Guatemalan Hueheutenango, Kenyan AA, Sumatra Mandheling, and Tanzanian Peaberry, just to name a few. At Zach & Dani's, we offer only high-quality arabica coffee beans, the coffee bean of choice for the home roaster.

Arabica coffee beans also contain only half the caffeine of robusta, which means you can enjoy more cups throughout the day without getting the jitters. If you're looking for quality over quantity, arabica coffee beans are the choice for you.

A Short History of Arabica and Robusta

Up until the mid 1800s, arabica coffee beans were the primary choice of beans. Then robusta coffee beans were discovered in the Belgian Congo. But they didn't immediately catch on because they lacked the flavor intensity of arabica coffee beans. In fact, the New York Coffee Exchange banned robusta beans in 1912, calling it "a practically worthless bean."

But that was 1912. Fast forward to the 1950s and a different picture emerges. Suddenly, supermarket shelves are stocked with jars and cans of pre-ground, freeze dried coffee blends heavily laced with robusta coffee beans.

By blending inexpensive robusta coffee beans with high-quality arabica coffee beans, the coffee manufacturers saved millions. Trouble is, they couldn't resist adding more and more robusta beans to their blends. Eventually, consumers stopped enjoying coffee as much, and many turned to sugary high-calorie soft drinks instead (one sip of coffee brewed from arabica beans could have refreshed their memories for the real thing).

Then in the early 1990s, people rediscovered flavorful arabica coffee beans through their local specialty coffee shops. Soon coffee bars were springing up on every corner. By 1998 retail sales of specialty coffee had reached $3 billion, with $2 billion more in sales from roasted beans. This marked the first increase in coffee consumption in the U.S. in a third of a century; and it set the stage for the final step in the return to quality. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, you can experience the ultimate in coffee flavor right in your own home through the art of home coffee roasting. At last, the flavor and freshness are back in your control.

Do You Know Your Beans?

Arabica plants thrive in nutrient-rich soil along the equator at elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet. This makes them expensive to grow, but it also makes them the source for the world's most flavorful coffee-and the beans of choice for the home roaster. We only offer arabica coffee beans at Zach & Dani's!

Robusta beans grow anywhere from sea level to 3,000 feet. Compared to arabica coffee beans, they produce far more beans in a shorter amount of time. They're also more pest resistant and significantly less expensive to grow. But they lack the flavor intensity of arabica coffee beans, which is why they're most often found in cheap supermarket blends.

It all comes down to quality vs. quantity. Arabica coffee beans represent quality and robusta coffee beans represent quantity. When it comes to coffee flavor, you get what you pay for.