Arabica and Robusta are the names of the most famous coffee beans. But they come from two very different plants. The Robusta is small, roundish and has a straight notch. It grows at lower altitudes of up to 700 metres and is more resistant to disease, heat and moisture than Arabica. It also ripens somewhat faster, in nine months. With its high caffeine content of up to 3.5 percent, Robusta is a real stimulant and tastes correspondingly strong, with pronounced earthy notes, but also a bit bitter.

The Arabica bean is slightly larger than the Robusta, oval, with a curved notch. It thrives in the highlands between 1000 and 2000 meters. In contrast to the Robusta, the Arabica plant is more demanding in terms of soil and climate and reacts more sensitively to environmental influences. It ripens in ten to eleven months – because it grows more slowly, however, it has a more pronounced, fuller aroma with mild acidity. The Arabica bean contains a maximum of 1.5 percent caffeine and less chlorogenic acid than the Robusta. This acid can irritate the stomach of sensitive people.

Although Robusta is cheaper to grow and also a more high-yielding plant, there are currently three times more Arabica than Robusta plants cultivated worldwide and sold at much higher prices – since Arabica is considered to be the nobler type of coffee, as well as more enjoyable for many people due to its mild acidity. However, experts assume that the less sensitive Robusta will be able to cope much better with the implications of climate change in the future.

Either way: Arabica does not automatically mean better quality – there are many inferior Arabica coffees on the market, but also some really good Robusta coffees. For example, slow, gentle roasting can greatly reduce the high chlorogenic acid content in the Robusta bean.

Robusta beans are often used in espresso blends because they form a much better crema and make for the typical Italian taste.

Our coffee simply offers the best of both beans!

Apart from selecting the right roast and the bean, preparation also influences the taste of the coffee. While the preparation of espresso is always based on pressure, coffee is infused and brewed briefly. A recommendation for the correct preparation can be found on the back of our coffees.

Espresso
The espresso pot is a coffee percolator that is filled with ground coffee. The espresso pot works with relatively low pressure and therefore produces a low crema. The classic Italian method of preparation: sieve carrier machines work with a removable sieve carrier that is filled with ground coffee. This can influence a variety of factors such as crema, bitterness and intensity of the espresso.

Coffee
With the French-press pot, the ground coffee is infused with hot water. Then the ground coffee is pressed down with an integrated sieve and the fresh coffee can be poured out. Although hand infusion is the oldest and classic method of preparation, it is now very popular again. In this procedure, ground coffee is brewed with hot water and filtered slowly.

Coffee & Espresso
Fully automatic coffee or espresso machines work with whole beans and have an integrated grinding and brewing unit. Depending on the quality of the machine, various factors can be adjusted individually.