Plant of the Month: Robusta Coffee (2021)(daily.jstor.org)
daily.jstor.org
Plant of the Month: Robusta Coffee (2021)
https://daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-robusta-coffee/
77 comments
You're no philistine. Your palate is sophisticated. Most people don't even like the taste of black coffee!
You probably also like peated whiskies and high ester spirits.
You might even like this 17yo rum[0]:
> Initial aromas are of petrol, an old machinists shop with vulcanizing shit going on in the background, rubber, phenols, iodine. Gradually fruits emerge, all dark and sullen and sulky. Plums, blackberries, dates, plus sweet caramel and molasses. Some herbs – dill, rosemary. And behind it all coils the familiar scent of fresh hot tar being laid down in the summer sun.
> The taste is very similar. Like the nose, the first notes are of an old bottom-house car repair shop where the oil has soaked into the sand, and rubber tyres and inner tubes are being repaired everywhere, and the occasionally pungent raw petrol aromas makes you feel like you’re passing an oil refinery.
[0] https://thelonecaner.com/r0866/
You probably also like peated whiskies and high ester spirits.
You might even like this 17yo rum[0]:
> Initial aromas are of petrol, an old machinists shop with vulcanizing shit going on in the background, rubber, phenols, iodine. Gradually fruits emerge, all dark and sullen and sulky. Plums, blackberries, dates, plus sweet caramel and molasses. Some herbs – dill, rosemary. And behind it all coils the familiar scent of fresh hot tar being laid down in the summer sun.
> The taste is very similar. Like the nose, the first notes are of an old bottom-house car repair shop where the oil has soaked into the sand, and rubber tyres and inner tubes are being repaired everywhere, and the occasionally pungent raw petrol aromas makes you feel like you’re passing an oil refinery.
[0] https://thelonecaner.com/r0866/
I've found it's much cheaper to have an unrefined palate. I buy whatever (whole bean) coffee is on sale :D
Same goes for wine.
Same goes for wine.
Buying whole bean is already a minor refinement, you’ve ruled out anything that changes flavor as the grounds are exposed to oxygen. Buying whatever’s on sale also exposes you to a lot of variety, so you probably have much greater recognition of flavor differences regardless of preference. Not challenging your preference, only recognizing that it’s valid!
My taste in wine is similarly lax, but I set a price floor at ~$6-7 to avoid accidentally buying vinegar, and rarely go over ~$15-20 unless there’s a special occasion or specific reason to splurge. My only other criteria, which has never failed me: a pretty label.
My taste in wine is similarly lax, but I set a price floor at ~$6-7 to avoid accidentally buying vinegar, and rarely go over ~$15-20 unless there’s a special occasion or specific reason to splurge. My only other criteria, which has never failed me: a pretty label.
First off, what makes you happy is its own reason. I think what makes these communities tick isn't about going for what's fashionable, but enthusiasm however that might take form.
Personally, I started liking really dark roasts in a French Press which pushes it even further. But, I learned that what I was looking for were chocolate and earth notes, and that the roast wasn't an especially good predictor of the intensity of those flavors. I had good coffee gear specialty shops that did flights for purchasing beans, and Starbucks Reserve (with some hits and misses) for getting more variety in flights.
Personally, I started liking really dark roasts in a French Press which pushes it even further. But, I learned that what I was looking for were chocolate and earth notes, and that the roast wasn't an especially good predictor of the intensity of those flavors. I had good coffee gear specialty shops that did flights for purchasing beans, and Starbucks Reserve (with some hits and misses) for getting more variety in flights.
> But, I learned that what I was looking for were chocolate and earth notes, and that the roast wasn't an especially good predictor of the intensity of those flavors.
And in fact, dark roasts are more likely to obscure those flavors.
Too light a roast and you'll get too much floral/grass, too dark and you'll get too much of a burned flavor, for obvious reasons.
The brew method also plays a big part, which is why dark (ish) roasts do better with cold brew than hot brews for pulling out the beans flavors.
I typically do a medium roast with no oily sheen to them and it serves me well. A honey-wash might take more roasting while keeping its flavor, though I haven't figured out why.
Roasting at home also saves a ton of money and the beans can last two years in storage versus a few weeks post-roast.
And in fact, dark roasts are more likely to obscure those flavors.
Too light a roast and you'll get too much floral/grass, too dark and you'll get too much of a burned flavor, for obvious reasons.
The brew method also plays a big part, which is why dark (ish) roasts do better with cold brew than hot brews for pulling out the beans flavors.
I typically do a medium roast with no oily sheen to them and it serves me well. A honey-wash might take more roasting while keeping its flavor, though I haven't figured out why.
Roasting at home also saves a ton of money and the beans can last two years in storage versus a few weeks post-roast.
Do you have any recommended resources for getting into home roasting? I've always been interested in trying it out, but I don't know where to source green beans without paying more than craft roasted coffee.
Sourcing: Sweet Maria's. Roasting: Follow their suggestions and buy an air popper at Goodwill. If you get a flimsy one, don't roast more than one batch in a row or the machine's innards will melt. The one caveat is you need somewhere outside where nobody will object to acrid smoke.
I tried it some time ago with a pound of green beans and a hot-air popcorn popper. Beans were bought somewhere on Amazon and I already had the popper. It was cheaper than buying freshly roasted beans at my local coffeeshop and tasted about the same, and it was a nice experiment, but not something I'd continue with. Not enough benefit for the time spent.
If you're on the east coast: happymug.
As far as roasting equipment... I actually recommend starting with stovetop/pan roasting. You may struggle more to get an even roast vs buying an appliance or using a popper, but it's cheap, and pan roasting heats via conduction (not convection) which is the de-facto method of most roasteries.
As far as roasting equipment... I actually recommend starting with stovetop/pan roasting. You may struggle more to get an even roast vs buying an appliance or using a popper, but it's cheap, and pan roasting heats via conduction (not convection) which is the de-facto method of most roasteries.
Start with your oven. It's a totally acceptable option just make sure you have good ventilation or your smoke detectors will go crazy.
450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes (you can eyeball the beans will get you started).
I've used a few vendors for the green beans but will recommend https://www.coffeebeancorral.com/ (no affiliation). I usually buy beans in the $40 (shipping) / per 5 lbs.
You'll have to deal with chaff but as you go forward you can get into more elaborate options. And to be honest I end up grinding a not insignificant amount of chaff (it doesn't affect flavor).
450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes (you can eyeball the beans will get you started).
I've used a few vendors for the green beans but will recommend https://www.coffeebeancorral.com/ (no affiliation). I usually buy beans in the $40 (shipping) / per 5 lbs.
You'll have to deal with chaff but as you go forward you can get into more elaborate options. And to be honest I end up grinding a not insignificant amount of chaff (it doesn't affect flavor).
Start with your oven. It's a totally acceptable option just make sure you have good ventilation or your smoke detectors will go crazy.
This is bad advice. I really can’t recommend this.
If you’ve ever played with home rosters with larger capacities, you’ll quickly find out just how much smoke gets generated. It’s a sticky and oily smoke too.
You don’t want that in your home.
Either you’re outside, or buy something like a Behmor that has an after burner.
This is bad advice. I really can’t recommend this.
If you’ve ever played with home rosters with larger capacities, you’ll quickly find out just how much smoke gets generated. It’s a sticky and oily smoke too.
You don’t want that in your home.
Either you’re outside, or buy something like a Behmor that has an after burner.
I get very little smoke. I don't roast in my oven anymore but it was never an issue and it's generally recommended as a first attempt.
Do you have a fan forced oven?
Fluid bed roasters dissipate the smoke much faster compared to drum roasters. I used to use a small fluid bed with some concertina tubing and a lot of filters to pipe the smoke outdoors. That tubing got very dirty. I never saw any smoke from it. But you can smell it and it’ll trip your smoke detector.
I’ve never heard of any one recommending the oven as a first attempt. Usually it’s a pop corn maker.
I’ve used several home roasters. Getting one with an afterburner is the way to go unless you have extremely good ventilation or powerful range hood that vents outdoors.
Fluid bed roasters dissipate the smoke much faster compared to drum roasters. I used to use a small fluid bed with some concertina tubing and a lot of filters to pipe the smoke outdoors. That tubing got very dirty. I never saw any smoke from it. But you can smell it and it’ll trip your smoke detector.
I’ve never heard of any one recommending the oven as a first attempt. Usually it’s a pop corn maker.
I’ve used several home roasters. Getting one with an afterburner is the way to go unless you have extremely good ventilation or powerful range hood that vents outdoors.
> I’ve never heard of any one recommending the oven as a first attempt
That's extremely surprising given the first handful or so of Google results suggest it (along with the popcorn maker)
Unless you're going for a French roast in a small, unventilated room this is not going to be an issue to worry about.
Yes, you could trigger your smoke alarm but that happens if I cook a steak, too. When I used an oven I think mine went off once or twice from dozens of roasts.
That's extremely surprising given the first handful or so of Google results suggest it (along with the popcorn maker)
Unless you're going for a French roast in a small, unventilated room this is not going to be an issue to worry about.
Yes, you could trigger your smoke alarm but that happens if I cook a steak, too. When I used an oven I think mine went off once or twice from dozens of roasts.
> I typically do a medium roast with no oily sheen to them and it serves me well.
I thought an oily/shiny appearance of coffee beans was due to them being roasted too long ago and then some of the coffee bean oils "leaking" out of the beans. Is this not the case, i.e. something that might even be controllable with the roasting process, even something desirable in some cases?
I thought an oily/shiny appearance of coffee beans was due to them being roasted too long ago and then some of the coffee bean oils "leaking" out of the beans. Is this not the case, i.e. something that might even be controllable with the roasting process, even something desirable in some cases?
The appearance of oil on the surface comes from roasting beans to the second crack:
https://mtpak.coffee/coffee-roasting-basics-guide-to-first-s...
Oily beans are dark roasted and have a different flavour profile. If you get cheap supermarket espresso beans, they're usually roasted to this point. I think it gives a more consistent product given input variability, varietal differences are no longer so apparent.
https://mtpak.coffee/coffee-roasting-basics-guide-to-first-s...
Oily beans are dark roasted and have a different flavour profile. If you get cheap supermarket espresso beans, they're usually roasted to this point. I think it gives a more consistent product given input variability, varietal differences are no longer so apparent.
I've only been roasting for a few months but the correlation seems to be with how dark you roast not with how long ago the roast happened. I roasted some beans a little over a week ago and they were covered in lots of oil one or two days later.
I don't find much support for it in the coffee snob community, but everyone has their own preferences.
No, you are not. You are just not afraid to go against the majority belief saying "Arabica coffee bean is better", which is purely based on marketing and no objective measure whatsoever.
I actually dislike the Arabica taste when it's overpowering the Robusta taste - it just sour and disagreeable. A blend of about 10%-30% Arabica can be interesting, but I would not touch anything beyond that anymore.
And I also enjoy the 100%-Robusta espressos (like Borbone makes) very much, especially when I'm after a chocolatey type flavour with lots of thick, dark crema.
"Arabica = luxury" vs. "Robusta = low grade" might serve the bottom line of coffee planters and producers, but it's just as bad as saying "wine made with grape type A is worse than wine made with grape type B". It always depends on the source material and the execution.
I actually dislike the Arabica taste when it's overpowering the Robusta taste - it just sour and disagreeable. A blend of about 10%-30% Arabica can be interesting, but I would not touch anything beyond that anymore.
And I also enjoy the 100%-Robusta espressos (like Borbone makes) very much, especially when I'm after a chocolatey type flavour with lots of thick, dark crema.
"Arabica = luxury" vs. "Robusta = low grade" might serve the bottom line of coffee planters and producers, but it's just as bad as saying "wine made with grape type A is worse than wine made with grape type B". It always depends on the source material and the execution.
I'm not one to claim that anything that goes against the grain is good, but in this case I'd say there's 0 reason to chastise your taste. Not only did you do extensive tests to see what exactly you like, you've also managed to find something to appreciate in a largely dismissed thing. In my book, that's a great thing all around - the spirit of discovery mixed with a unique palate.
PS. But I'll keep drinking my hipster juice, simplicity is enough for me.
PS. But I'll keep drinking my hipster juice, simplicity is enough for me.
Hey, I’m happy with my results. Just don’t tell the guys at my local specialty stores…
I notice that medium roast is trendiest among the snobs right now. Some shops won't even serve dark. I understand that dark roasts can verge on one-note, but personally I like coffee to taste like coffee. Often times what the shop serves is so lightly roasted and brewed they practically taste like tea, with no body. It's fruity and acidic, which can be a little more varied, but personally dissatisfying.
For espressos, the full-city / medium-dark roast is maybe my favorite right now, and for other brews anything between a medium that's a little on the dark side and a dark roast. Acidic is fine, but it needs that body and deep flavor.
For espressos, the full-city / medium-dark roast is maybe my favorite right now, and for other brews anything between a medium that's a little on the dark side and a dark roast. Acidic is fine, but it needs that body and deep flavor.
If you want the “classic coffee” taste, find a blend or single origin with Brazilian beans.
I mostly brew 100% Robusta or a 60/40 blend as well, after some long testing, I just like it better with the machines in my home. And yes, people look at me weirdly even though I am not in the US, and according to the article people should be used to it "here"... What I find weird as well is how the article basically conflates Robusta and Instant Coffee... instant tastes bad because of the way it is produced, not the bean, which should be clear because, well, enough people actually use Robusta in their non-instant coffee recipies.
Perhaps the US larger buying power means you can get a more steady supply of quality robusta. But in other places getting your hands on a quality robusta is fairly hard. It tends to have a single note. They are generally boring on their own if you want a more complex cup. But the better body and crema makes it a good addition to a blend.
You're wrong about the beans themselves not resulting in a bad cup. Go and find a high quality specialty green and roast it e.g a Cup of Excellence winner. A really good green is much more forgiving to roast and a schmuck like me can get a decent cup. A cheaper bean is more difficult. And typically it's easiest to just roast a bit darker past medium to start hitting the cocoa and caramel notes.
You're wrong about the beans themselves not resulting in a bad cup. Go and find a high quality specialty green and roast it e.g a Cup of Excellence winner. A really good green is much more forgiving to roast and a schmuck like me can get a decent cup. A cheaper bean is more difficult. And typically it's easiest to just roast a bit darker past medium to start hitting the cocoa and caramel notes.
I came by my love of robusta in northern Italy / southern Switzerland, where the local roaster made a blend. Most other coffees just lacked the pizazz.
https://www.amazon.com/Caff%C3%A8-Chicco-Tradition-Whole-100...
https://www.amazon.com/Caff%C3%A8-Chicco-Tradition-Whole-100...
Absolutely. My particular favorite brand happens to be Italian.
That particular link claims to be 100% Arabica.
And just like that, I find that my love I developed a love for robusta mixed in espresso came from a lie (or lack of reading closely). <sincerely> Thanks for pointing that out. </s>
I got to thinking more about this. Many traditional roasters use robusta in their blends. Chicco d'Oro is a bit cagey about this, but some of their offerings are explicitly robusta blends[0], while others are pure arabica. My impression is that their coffees are arabica/robusta blends, unless they specifically say "arabica". I'm not sure about the particular product in the Amazon listing - it may be mis-labeled. I'd have to see the bag. As I recall, besides adding caffine, robusta improves espresso crema.
[0] https://chiccodoro.com/lang-en/?s=robusta
[0] https://chiccodoro.com/lang-en/?s=robusta
There is good Robusta to be had and well respected espresso focused blends on occasion have robusta in them for body and crema production. A lot of “high caffeine” coffees are also high robusta content.
Personally I find Malabar and Vietnamese Robusta completely acceptable for espresso.
Personally I find Malabar and Vietnamese Robusta completely acceptable for espresso.
Good for you. Personally I prefer my coffee to taste of berries or golden raisins or milk chocolate. I'm willing to pay a bit more it. I guess that makes me a hipster.
I kid because I love. There are a lot of excellent arabica beans. Guatemala was my top choice among them…
Guatemalan coffee is one of my faves too. And Colombian.
I have tried a few pure robusta coffees and I always find them lacking. They all have that initial kick, which I may like (or not, some coffee is just terrible), but after that, nothing. All flavors are gone, the rest is like water with some chemical bittering agent added, which I find particularly frustrating.
That's why I always drink my robusta as a blend, Italian style. I still get the initial kick of Robusta and its characteristic bitterness but Arabica is still there to fill in the gaps.
But I admit I didn't try that many pure Robustas, maybe some don't suffer that problem.
That's why I always drink my robusta as a blend, Italian style. I still get the initial kick of Robusta and its characteristic bitterness but Arabica is still there to fill in the gaps.
But I admit I didn't try that many pure Robustas, maybe some don't suffer that problem.
My taste is distant from yours, and probably much closer to the “hipster” stereotype. But I say so with no judgment toward you, only toward the one barista who I’ve ever encountered who very vocally embodied the stereotype.
I prefer light roasts… lighter than most available in a grocery store labeled “light roast”. And most of the time I prefer beans fermented with a “natural” or similar process—some or all of the fruit left on the bean as it ferments and dries, often producing fruity flavor notes ranging from subtle to holy shit are there actual blueberries in this!?
And I prefer my coffee with whole milk. Aforementioned barista was offended, persistently, when he failed to persuade me not to stick with my order for one such roast in a latte. I was, frankly, embarrassed for him. Gratefully, I’ve never encountered that sort of snobbery before or since.
Life is too short and too difficult already, ain’t nobody (well one person) got time for that kind of busybody judgement. Enjoy what you enjoy!
(I told the barista that I understood his opinion that the milk would overpower the delicate flavors of the coffee, and that I anticipated it would be my favorite latte ever. It was, and still is.)
I prefer light roasts… lighter than most available in a grocery store labeled “light roast”. And most of the time I prefer beans fermented with a “natural” or similar process—some or all of the fruit left on the bean as it ferments and dries, often producing fruity flavor notes ranging from subtle to holy shit are there actual blueberries in this!?
And I prefer my coffee with whole milk. Aforementioned barista was offended, persistently, when he failed to persuade me not to stick with my order for one such roast in a latte. I was, frankly, embarrassed for him. Gratefully, I’ve never encountered that sort of snobbery before or since.
Life is too short and too difficult already, ain’t nobody (well one person) got time for that kind of busybody judgement. Enjoy what you enjoy!
(I told the barista that I understood his opinion that the milk would overpower the delicate flavors of the coffee, and that I anticipated it would be my favorite latte ever. It was, and still is.)
Let me throw you a curve ball. For espresso try a 50-50 blend of gourmet and espresso from these chaps [1], it’s amazing. Elgon is also pretty good as a French press coffee. Not affiliated with them, just a fan.
1. https://www.springvalleycoffee.com/orderusa
1. https://www.springvalleycoffee.com/orderusa
I'm in the same boat - went to a coffee retailer here that sells mostly to restaurants etc and I did a blind test of all the various brands and blends they had available. I liked 100% Robusta the most and I've been drinking that for years now. Most of other coffee drinkers I know are not too fond of my coffee though.
It sounds like I could be in the same boat. What brand of coffee did you settle on?
Lavazza’s Gusto Forte are the exact beans I’m using at the moment. Its Amazon reviews are very much split: it’s either great, or horrible.
Can to share what brand you like?
Lavazza’s Gusto Forte beans. They seem to be very divisive online…
[deleted]
Robusta has a higher resistance to insects due to the higher caffeine content. The caffeine that poisons them is what gives us a nice intoxicating buzz. It grows at lower altitudes thanks to this trait. With climate change, it’s unsurprising that this is becoming a more common crop. The coffee snob me doesn’t agree that it makes a coffee beverage equivalent to arabica. Maybe roasters will innovate a way around that. Ditto with instant, though it’s useful to me to find a good roaster’s version when I travel.
The environmentalist me also appreciates that arabica supports better biodiversity, and it’s a shame that farms are tearing down arabica plants to replace with robusta.[1,2] Climate change is wreaking havoc. In places like Ethiopia it’s especially disconcerting since these heirlooms are native species. In other parts of the world as disparate as Indonesia or El Salvador, it’s not too surprising that climate change is exposing the crop’s inability to withstand environmental stress because these were imported during colonial times.
1-https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/04/why-bio... 2-https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/if-your-coffe...
The environmentalist me also appreciates that arabica supports better biodiversity, and it’s a shame that farms are tearing down arabica plants to replace with robusta.[1,2] Climate change is wreaking havoc. In places like Ethiopia it’s especially disconcerting since these heirlooms are native species. In other parts of the world as disparate as Indonesia or El Salvador, it’s not too surprising that climate change is exposing the crop’s inability to withstand environmental stress because these were imported during colonial times.
1-https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/04/why-bio... 2-https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/if-your-coffe...
>The environmentalist me also appreciates that arabica supports better biodiversity
Can you elaborate? The article seems to point to the opposite, when arabica was nearly wiped out around the world by coffee leaf fungus as a result of the bio-homogeneity
Can you elaborate? The article seems to point to the opposite, when arabica was nearly wiped out around the world by coffee leaf fungus as a result of the bio-homogeneity
"Supports better biodiversity" refers to the biodiversity of the other animals and plants that grow around the coffee trees in the ecosystem, not the diversity of the coffee trees themselves.
Thanks for the information. That's why my worst coffee experience was with Robusta. My heart kept beating super fast for the whole day to the point I got concerned.
HN coffee afficionados, if you are in a particularly experimental mood, do check out Liberica coffee beans[1], which is a whole different taste palette compared to Arabica and Robusta. In recent years, there's been a bit of a revival happening for Liberica strains across the coffee-sphere and I while I can't guarentee you'll love Liberica (it's been very hit or miss with friends with many finding it too earthy/woody), I can assure that it'll be an experience in and of itself
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_liberica
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_liberica
Where do you get yours from? I looked on Amazon and didn’t really find an option
Liberica coffee goes by the name Barako in the Philippines. Might help with the search.
They sell it in large bags here on the local markets.
(No idea what for, though. Pretty much everyone here just drinks sugary instant coffees...)
They sell it in large bags here on the local markets.
(No idea what for, though. Pretty much everyone here just drinks sugary instant coffees...)
Instant coffee is like canned tuna: actually it can taste alright or even good, but what a shame it came to this.
Good old Cafe Bustelo regular is 100% robusta. Inexpensive and makes a good brew, especially with some cream as it is more bitter and earthy than what most palates are used to.
Vietnamese coffee is also usually 100% robusta (they grow most of the worlds supply).
Vietnamese coffee is also usually 100% robusta (they grow most of the worlds supply).
I really enjoy blonde roasted single origin 100% Robusta beans (like this Coffea canephora from India [0]) if served with care the deep richness of the flavour is unparalleled.
But since I'm quite sensitive to caffeine the rush of a Robusta cofeee can be otherworldly and quite uncomfortable and after my body adapts I can barely feel the hit of the omnipresent Arabica coffees and I'm literally dependent on a Robusta hit to kickstart my day, now. So, I decided some time ago to forgo their excellent taste. As a replacement for their rich taste I found out that some cocoa beans (as 100% chocolate) go extremely well with the smoothness of Ethopian Arabica beans (Yirgacheffe) from my favourite local roast house.
[0]https://onan.be/farms/palthope-estate-india-b-b-chengappa/
[0]https://onan.be/farms/palthope-estate-india-b-b-chengappa/
Death Wish Coffee has been using robusta in blends with arabica for a decade because of the higher caffeine content.
https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/coffee-talk/the-rise-o...
https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/coffee-talk/the-rise-o...
I drink coffee for the utility of it, and as such want to try to like their coffee but every time I get a cup there's an off taste to it, and for not much more potency to justify it, so I never end up buying the bag which is a little pricey near me.
I've found another coffee that tastes better, is shipped fresher, and has a much higher efficacy. Its called Seattle's Best #5. A bag is about 5 bucks. This stuff will have you vibrating off the desk.
I've found another coffee that tastes better, is shipped fresher, and has a much higher efficacy. Its called Seattle's Best #5. A bag is about 5 bucks. This stuff will have you vibrating off the desk.
There's no way a good bag of coffee beans that is also ethical costs $5
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Bless your little heart. A twice dipped teabag will get you through the day just fine, I'm sure.
> Bless your little heart. A twice dipped teabag will get you through the day just fine, I'm sure.
What did you intend to communicate to the parent commenter? That the parent point is invalid?
What did you intend to communicate to the parent commenter? That the parent point is invalid?
No, it is a statement that if 'ethical' is where the topic has shifted to, then to be most ethical, start brewing your tea twice. Ethical is not one of the qualities originally listed, which were potency, freshness and price.
> No, it is a statement that if 'ethical' is where the topic has shifted to,
Hmmm... I'm confused what exactly you're trying to communicate. Are you're saying one shouldn't talk about ethics in the context of discussing coffee prices?
Hmmm... I'm confused what exactly you're trying to communicate. Are you're saying one shouldn't talk about ethics in the context of discussing coffee prices?
No, I'm the author of the original comment above, and I was saying when I listed my criteria for why I liked this one type of 5 dollar bag coffee that turned out pretty good, ethics weren't on that list. Ethics is important to me, but in the context of this conversation, that was not part of what was listed.
Serious question: At that point, why not take a caffeine pill or drink the powder? It's likely far cheaper and more efficient if you only drink coffee for the buzz.
Coffee and tea have a lot of secondary ingredients that are beneficial in other ways. Or not beneficial - coffee has a lot of good minerals in it but also the oils and acidity aren't good for IBS sufferers and IIRC are bad for the heart. Paper filters or Swedish coffee (that one where you make it on the stove with eggshells) help there.
Just for stimulation though, there's also theanine and theobromine you're missing for a better high.
Just for stimulation though, there's also theanine and theobromine you're missing for a better high.
I was hoping someone would ask this, because it's a path I've crossed several times: Not all caffeine is equal, there is an entourage effect with coffee not present in anhydrous caffeine distillate.
I've actually never tried their coffee. I just remember hearing about them using robusta for the caffeine content and finding that interesting.
I prefer my coffee black, with a decent amount of Robusta (method: ~12h full immersion cold brew in summer, 4 minute full immersion french-press otherwise), dark roast. Robusta adds something that is simply lacking otherwise.
I can't wait until it gets warmer, immersion cold brew is sooo good :)
It is rather sweet with arabica, is that less so with robusta? How would you compare the taste?
It is rather sweet with arabica, is that less so with robusta? How would you compare the taste?
If there’s a difference, it’s subtle enough that can’t taste it without a side by side comparison ;) But I don’t have the issue of it being too sweet.
My local coffee roaster sells a "Sicilian style" 100 % Robusta espresso roast. Twice as much caffeine as Arabica, really strong stuff. I can't stand it permanently though, gives me too much anxious energy. I prefer 70/30 (Arabica/Robusta) roasts, which still have the nice Robusta flavor but a more sane amount of caffeine.
If you live in London, Black Sheep sell high quality Robusta beans. They are very very good and work for different styles (I usually grind and drink as "Turkish").
Vietnam produces a massive amount of coffee, most of it Robusta. Their yields are considerably higher than other countries.
From memory, 2nd biggest coffee producer in the world after Brazil.
And I came to the conclusion I liked a specific brand of 100% dark-roasted robusta the most, by far. And I like it black.
Now I have to live with the fact that I’m a philistine, a lover of bad coffee, and an enjoyer of burnt tire smell. But hey, at least I can get the stuff I like on the cheap. More discerning types can have their expensive hipster lemon juice (which I also enjoy, but to a much lesser extent).