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arabica VS colombian = Ford VS Chevy?

I pretty much agree with The_Mick's statement. I have had some good fresh roasted Robusta, but it is generally a step down in flavor. I would not make a Ford vs Chevy comparison between Arabica and Robusta, as the difference is larger.
 
Honestly, I meant what I asked:blushing:

I did a bit of digging based on your answers and now know that colombian is in fact arabica, just grown in Columbia. Didn't know that the taste was so influenced by the area where cultivated, had figured they were from different subspecies.

The education continues!
 
Correct, almost all the coffee grown in Central & South America is Arabica. Though within a single area such as Columbia, there will be variations depending on how the coffee was processed, the altitude it was grown at and that year's weather, the horticulture practices followed by the grower, etc.

I believe some coffee is marketed as 100% Arabica (whether from Colombia or not) as an indication of quality, to let the buyer know that it is not a blend which includes Robusta. If you have ever drank coffee with a faint burnt rubber smell, then it was probably Robusta coffee or a blend that included it.
 
. If you have ever drank coffee with a faint burnt rubber smell, then it was probably Robusta coffee or a blend that included it.

I have!

A few years ago I remember trying some ground coffee that came in a black vacuum sealed foil brick that tasted faintly of plastic or something. It was awful. The plastic taste had me believing it was either contaminated or cut with foreign matter. I was the only one who could taste it.

Thanks for the reassurance.

God, that stuff was bad.
 
I have!

A few years ago I remember trying some ground coffee that came in a black vacuum sealed foil brick that tasted faintly of plastic or something. It was awful. The plastic taste had me believing it was either contaminated or cut with foreign matter. I was the only one who could taste it.

Thanks for the reassurance.

God, that stuff was bad.

You got that right. Low quality instant coffee can sometimes be really bad and taste horrible, above and beyond simply being bitter. When someone says they can't stand the taste of coffee, I imagine that has been their experience and it is hard to blame them.
 
Honestly, I meant what I asked:blushing:

I did a bit of digging based on your answers and now know that colombian is in fact arabica, just grown in Columbia. Didn't know that the taste was so influenced by the area where cultivated, had figured they were from different subspecies.

The education continues!

They're not different subspecies, they're different species. Robusta has one advantage--it has twice the caffeine.

see: http://www.ico.org/botanical.asp
Or B&B's Coffee FAQ
 
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I just came across Death With Coffee Co. which calls it's self "The World's Strongest Coffee" and advertises twice the caffeine as a other coffees. They come right out and say it's made with Robusta, it's an interesting marketing technique. http://deathwishcoffee.com/pages/faqs

Twenty bucks for a one pound bag? Wow! Talk about proud of their product.

I'm not saying it isn't worth it. I've never tried it. But they're clearly not bottom fishing.

If it's really a decent brew with "5 am" caffeine level it might be worth it.
 
The wife and I took a tour a coffee plantation in Guatemala this summer. Not only was it beautiful, it was also very informative. I am not sure if this is common practice, but at this particular plantation both Arabica and Robusta are grown. When the seedlings are about 2 inches or so, they graft the roots of the Robusta onto the stem of the Arabica resulting in a more durable crop featuring the flavor of the Arabica.


 
The wife and I took a tour a coffee plantation in Guatemala this summer. Not only was it beautiful, it was also very informative. I am not sure if this is common practice, but at this particular plantation both Arabica and Robusta are grown. When the seedlings are about 2 inches or so, they graft the roots of the Robusta onto the stem of the Arabica resulting in a more durable crop featuring the flavor of the Arabica.
Sounds like a fun trip, and that was an interesting comment. This blog post: Guatemala Part II: From Seedling to Bean, notes that this is done to protect the plant from a certain species of roundworms that are quite prevalent and love to attack Arabica coffee plants. While the Robusta root system in more resistant.
 
Sounds like a fun trip, and that was an interesting comment. This blog post: Guatemala Part II: From Seedling to Bean, notes that this is done to protect the plant from a certain species of roundworms that are quite prevalent and love to attack Arabica coffee plants. While the Robusta root system in more resistant.

I know that with apples and potatoes, all the genetic variability of the plant is possible in each seed (i.e. plant a seed from a McIntosh apple or a seed from a Yukon Gold potato, there is no guarantee that is the variety that will grow, thus the reason apple trees are grafted and potatoes are cut into pieces then planted).

As for the coffee plants, besides disease resistance, perhaps grafting also helps in preserving a special variety.
 
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