Arabusta is a remarkable coffee creation created by crossing the world's most widely grown coffee varieties, Arabica and Robusta. This innovative cross was developed with the aim of combining the taste quality of Arabica coffee with the increased resilience of the Robusta coffee plant. As a result, Arabusta coffee can be classified between Arabica and Robusta in terms of its characteristics. Although there are other hybrids, some of which are called Arabusta, the true Arabusta coffee plant is rarely found worldwide.
The history of Arabusta coffee began in 1973, when the French Research Institute for Coffee and Cocoa achieved a successful cross between Arabica and Robusta coffee. After ten years of intensive work, they succeeded in developing a variety that combined the best characteristics of both types of coffee. The new coffee variety was subsequently grown experimentally in the Ivory Coast and the USA. Despite this, Arabusta coffee has not spread widely to this day.
The aim of crossing the Arabusta coffee was to combine the flavourful quality of the Arabica coffee with the robustness of the Robusta coffee plant. Arabica beans are known for their aromatic, mild and harmonious taste, while Robusta beans have strong and intense notes. In addition, the Robusta plant is more resistant to drought and insect infestation. The Arabusta coffee plant also grows comparatively quickly, which makes it an interesting option for coffee producers.
The caffeine content of Arabusta coffee is around 2 %, which is between the caffeine content of Arabica and Robusta coffee. Arabica beans typically contain between 1.1 and 1.7% caffeine, while Robusta beans contain about 2 to 4.5% caffeine. Thus, Arabusta coffee offers a medium caffeine content that meets the needs of coffee lovers.
Due to the unique characteristics of Arabusta coffee, it is particularly well suited for the preparation of espresso. Traditionally, Arabica and Robusta beans are blended for espresso to achieve the desired flavour profile. However, by using Arabusta beans, coffee lovers can enjoy the full flavour and crema of an espresso without having to blend different coffees. The Arabica beans provide a full-bodied aroma, while the Robusta content ensures the typical crema of the espresso.
Although Arabusta coffee is not yet widely available, it could become more important in the future due to its unique combination of properties. Coffee lovers may be delighted by the harmonious richness of flavour and the resilient nature of Arabusta coffee. It remains to be seen how this fascinating coffee creation will develop and what place it will take in the coffee world.
