【The Difference between Arabica VS. Robusta】
Arabica is the species of plant from which all specialty (and also most commercial) beans are currently derived. It’s a princess of plants: fragile, susceptible to attacks by pests and relatively needy – requiring particular degrees of moisture, sun, shade and soil richness to thrive. But, it’s also capable of producing a wide taste range. There are a number of varieties, strains, and cultivars of Arabica.
Robusta is the other species that are commercially farmed. It’s just beginning to emerge onto the specialty coffee market but is commonly used in instant-coffee brands. It’s a hardier plant with a higher yield of beans that are higher in caffeine but have been described as having “a neutral to harsh taste range.” Still, a small number of coffee growers are experimenting with specialist robusta – time will tell if it catches on.
【識別咖啡豆】
咖啡豆主要分為兩大種類：阿拉比卡及羅布斯塔，兩者差別可由以下類別而分。 阿拉比卡種咖啡樹比較難栽種，它們需要成長於溫和的白日和較涼的夜晚，太冷、太熱、太潮濕的氣候都不利種植阿拉比卡種咖啡豆。阿拉比卡種咖啡樹需要種在高海拔的傾斜坡地上，因此採收過程的困難度極高。但由於阿拉比卡種咖啡豆的香味特佳，味道均衡，而且咖啡因含量比較少，因此雖不易栽種，但市場需求高，栽種量佔大部分的咖啡總栽種量。
羅布斯塔種咖啡樹比較耐高溫、耐寒、耐濕、耐旱，甚至還耐霉菌侵擾。它的適應性極強，在平地就可以生長的非常好，採收也不一定需要人工，可以利用機器進行。羅布斯塔種咖啡樹生產出的咖啡豆苦味較強，酸度較低，而且咖啡因含量是阿拉比卡種的二倍，所以在味道上較有個性，多用做混合調配或即溶咖啡之用。