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arabica coffee

ingredient / ingredient-arabica-coffee

アラビカ種コーヒー / Coffea arabica

Coffee beans of Coffea arabica (Arabica). They are described as having lower caffeine and chlorogenic-acid contents than Robusta.

On this page (6 sections)
  1. Overview
  2. Sources for this overview (2)
  3. Topic hubs
  4. Follow the connections
  5. Related entries (10)
  6. Sensory (2)
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Reading the bitterness

Arabica (Coffea arabica) is one type of coffee bean alongside Robusta (Coffea canephora). In a study comparing 1 commercial sample of each (100% Arabica from Brazil and 100% Robusta from India) roasted by the same roaster with the same roasting process, the median bitterness scores given by 6 trained panelists on a 0 to 9 scale were lower for Arabica in espresso (Arabica 4.0, Robusta 4.7) and filter coffee (1.2, 3.5), and about the same in moka (3.4, 3.3) and Neapolitan coffee (3.1, 2.9). No test of the difference between the species is shown.

In another study, which one tasted more bitter swapped with the brewing method. 6 single-origin beans of different origins (4 arabica, 2 of them decaffeinated, and 2 robusta) were roasted to a medium degree and rated by 20 panelists on a 10-point scale: for the beans both from Brazil, the arabica was significantly more bitter as Turkish coffee and the robusta as filter coffee, while as espresso the non-decaf arabicas and the robustas did not differ significantly. Roast conditions were set for each bean. Because this comparison and the previous one differ at once in decaffeination, number of samples, panel, scale and brewing method, setting the 2 side by side cannot separate which condition drove the bitterness ratings.

Sources for this overview

  1. Metabolomics Combined with Sensory Analysis Reveals the Impact of Different Extraction Methods on Coffee Beverages from Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora var. Robusta

    Vezzulli F; Rocchetti G; Lambri M; Lucini L / 2022 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: Uses the comparison of median bitterness by brewing method, with 1 commercial sample of each species from the same roasting process.

  2. Antioxidant and Sensory Assessment of Innovative Coffee Blends of Reduced Caffeine Content

    Šeremet D; Fabečić P; Vojvodić Cebin A; Mandura Jarić A; Pudić R; Komes D / 2022 / journal article / full text checked

    Checked for this overview: Uses the sensory evaluation of 6 single-origin beans (in the supplementary tables, which one is more bitter swaps with the brewing method).

Follow the connections

robusta coffee →differs from→ arabica coffee

Structured claims — open a section to read each claim's confidence, evidence and limits

Sensory (2)

robusta coffee differs from arabica coffeesupported

Scope: Layer: food. 2 commercial samples roasted with the same roasting process by an Italian roaster (Musetti), brewed as espresso (coffee powder to beverage 1:2 by weight, 92 °C), Neapolitan (72 g/L), moka (76 g/L) and filter (50 g/L), and rated by 6 trained panelists on a 0 to 9 scale (medians). Untargeted metabolomics was used alongside.

"Robusta showed higher bitterness and aroma persistence, together with aromas of caramel, roasted and stone fruits." For roasting, the source states: "Two roasted coffee samples were supplied...with the same roasting process." Bitterness in Table 2 (6 trained panelists, 0 to 9, medians), Arabica versus Robusta: espresso 4.0 versus 4.7, filter 1.2 versus 3.5, moka 3.4 versus 3.3, Neapolitan 3.1 versus 2.9.
Limitations: 1 commercial sample per species, so species and origin overlap. The sensory data are medians of 6 trained panelists, and no test of the difference between the species is shown. Brewing was espresso (coffee powder to beverage 1:2 by weight, 92 °C), Neapolitan 72 g/L, moka 76 g/L and filter 50 g/L. No decaffeination is described (corrected 2026-10-21 after external audit N1).
Source: Metabolomics Combined with Sensory Analysis Reveals the Impact of Different Extraction Methods on Coffee Beverages from Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora var. Robusta (Vezzulli F; Rocchetti G; Lambri M; Lucini L, 2022) · full text checked
Show dataingredient-robusta-coffee —differs_from→ ingredient-arabica-coffee
claim: clm-w70a-robusta-arabica-bitterness-same-roast / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-21
arabica coffee differs from robusta coffeesupported

Scope: Layer: food. 6 single-origin beans (not blends) roasted to a medium degree and brewed as espresso, Turkish coffee and filter coffee. Sensory evaluation by 20 panelists (experienced in coffee sensory evaluation) on a 10-point scale. The bitterness statistics are in Supplementary Tables S1–S3 (one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test). Roast conditions were set by trial and error for each bean and were not matched between species.

Supplementary tables (means on a 10-point scale, 20 panelists): espresso bitterness was RC_1 (Mexico, decaf) 7.5, RC_2 (Colombia, decaf) 9, RC_3 (Brazil) 8.5, RC_4 (Costa Rica) 8.5, RC_5 (Guatemala, robusta) 9 and RC_6 (Brazil, robusta) 9.5; RC_1 was significantly lower than RC_2, RC_5 and RC_6, and other pairs did not differ significantly. Turkish coffee: RC_3 6.5 vs RC_6 5; filter: RC_3 4.5 vs RC_6 6.5; both significant. Astringency was significantly higher in the 2 robustas than in the 4 arabicas in all 3 brewing methods. Main text: "Robusta brews were found to be more astringent than Arabica regardless of the brewing method".
Limitations: Roast conditions were set by trial and error for each bean (all medium roast). The samples were 4 Arabica (2 of them decaffeinated) and 2 Robusta; limited to non-decaffeinated beans, there were 2 per species. Species and origin overlap. The abstract's statement that decaffeinated Arabica brews were evaluated as more bitter does not match the supplementary tables (in espresso the decaffeinated RC_1 was the lowest; it was only higher than RC_6 in the Turkish method). The tables give only means, with no measure of spread.
Source: Antioxidant and Sensory Assessment of Innovative Coffee Blends of Reduced Caffeine Content (Šeremet D; Fabečić P; Vojvodić Cebin A; Mandura Jarić A; Pudić R; Komes D, 2022) · full text checked
Show dataingredient-arabica-coffee —differs_from→ ingredient-robusta-coffee
claim: clm-w70a-arabica-decaf-more-bitter-than-robusta / type: sensory / updated: 2026-10-20

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