What’s the difference between Arabica and Robusta Coffee Beans?

If you’ve found yourself hovering over a bag of coffee beans wondering what’s the difference between Arabica and Robusta Coffee Beans then you’re in good company.

Arabica and Robusta are the two big hitters in the coffee world, but they’re not created equal. At Mhor Coffee, we roast only Arabica coffee beans, and once you taste the difference you’ll see why.

Arabica vs Robusta: what’s the actual difference?

In simple terms: Arabica (Coffea arabica) is the species behind most specialty coffee. It’s loved for flavour, elegance, and aroma.

Robusta (Coffea canephora) is a tougher plant with more caffeine, often used in instant coffee or budget blends.

Both have their place — but they offer totally different taste experiences to the drinker.

Origin: where they grow shapes how they taste

Arabica thrives up in the clouds. It’s usually grown at higher altitudes in places like Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, and Kenya. Cooler temperatures and slower-growing cherries make denser beans, which means more sweetness and complexity in the roast. It’s why you’ll often see coffee roasters disclosing how high up the mountain their beans originated from – the higher, the more rare. Probably because these farms are on very big hills and to harvest the beans from the higher altitude locations takes patience, skill and determination.

Robusta prefers the lowlands where it’s warmer, more humid, and easier to farm. You’ll often find it in Vietnam, Uganda, and Indonesia, where big yields and pest resistance make it the practical choice.

Quality: why Arabica is the roaster’s darling

Arabica plants are fussy. They’re more prone to disease and don’t love sudden weather drama (same, to be fair). That makes them harder to grow well and, as a result, more expensive. But the payoff is huge: Arabica is the gold standard for artisan roasted coffee because it delivers clarity and character, not just caffeine.

Robusta is robust (the clue’s in the name). It grows fast, shrugs off pests, and costs less. You can get good Robusta, but it’s rarer, and most of what’s on the market is aimed at volume rather than flavour. Coffee chains that use Robusta as their main blend ingredient often specialise in highly sugary syrup additions too, often designed to mask the bitterness of the Robusta drink. If you’ve ever gone from one coffee chain to another and wondered why you need sugar in your coffee when you normally don’t, this is probably why.

Taste: the bit that really matters

Let’s face it, all this intel is all very well but at the ende of the day it’s the taste of the coffee that should matter most. Here’s the difference between the two bean types that your taste buds will care about:

Arabica: Flavours tend to be smooth, naturally sweet, and layered. Think fruit, florals, caramel, chocolate, citrus, and a lovely bright acidity.
Robusta: Flavouts tend to be heavier, more bitter and earthy, with woody or grainy notes. Robusta also has roughly double the caffeine that Arabica has, which boosts its bitterness and gives your espresso a thick crema – perfect if you are serving a high volume of customers who just want to load up on the caffeine and like a bit of latte art.

Why we roast 100% Arabica Beans at Mhor Coffee

When we started this business, we wanted it to be about great coffee. Mhor literally means “Great” in Scots gaelic. And by great, we mean great taste.

We’d tried several subscription services and found that, too often, the “art” of roasting was more about conforming to trends with lighter, very acidic tasting roasts, than it was about taste in the cup. Coffees that were roasted with the espresso drinker in mind. Short, sharp, and over quickly. But those of us who like a nice latte, or a cappucino, or a flat white, and love to curl up with a coffee and a good book and enjoy it – these roasters were not entirely catering to our tastebuds.

Arabica beans let us roast with precision, and serve you a cup that’s balanced, delicious, and properly memorable. Whether you fancy something bright and berry-led or smooth and chocolatey, our Arabica bean blends are built to tickle those coffee-loving taste buds.

Have a wander through our roasts and find your next favourite mountain-inspired cup. Freshly roasted in small batches, and always Arabica.