-with 'The Last House Coffee, Hyderabad'
Single origin, single estate, selective picking, Multistage - Sorting at Processing, bio-diverse coffee growing environment, Natural or Washed processed but – Slow Sun Dried on raised beds. Graded, and roasted carefully to a perfect curve with the right development time delivering good fruity flavors, and velvety body.
The moment one listens to this above description, she/he is definitely not thinking about Robusta! Cause these words and descriptors were always associated and used for Arabica.
Also- a conversation that is too common:
Barista: Hi, what coffee species do you like, Arabica or Robusta?
Woke Specialty Coffee Consumer: Only 100% Arabica, Robusta… is not even coffee nobody drinks that.
Barista: Have you ever experienced a Single origin or a Blend of Specialty/Fine Robusta, made with full transparency of its Crop to Cup journey?
“woke” Specialty Coffee Consumer: No!
We need to change this conversation, especially the one way sharing of half information kind. People based their experience with just one or two experiences without tasting it in multiple expressions, (regions, varieties, roasts, processes, brew etc.) Because most Robustas aren’t processed with as much as care as arabicas are.
Specialty Coffee is a process not a species, nor elevation nor a particular growing location/area.
An ideal world doesn’t exist, but if did wouldn’t it be great. Ever wondered how Coffee or for that matter even Cacao is introduced to people? most of the videos or literature that you find on the internet/class/other forms, you will be explained about the fruit, then the species or types of that fruit (coffee/cacao) and then next set of information includes, one variety is flavorful, while one variety is not flavorful.
Whereas think of a product like Grapes (from which wine is made), and check their introduction and how it’s done, they have a hundred different types of grapes, whether its red or white, but they all are explained with their positives and benefits based on the flavor/taste or body, it’s never said that one variety of grape isn’t good.
Now look at the regions where the grapes are grown, compared to where coffee and cacao are grown . Why are the narratives so different?
We are not saying that Robusta is better than Arabica, nor are we saying its same as Arabica, all we are saying is that Robusta is a type of species of coffea, like Arabica which is also basically a type species of Coffea, in fact Robusta is one of the parent plants of Arabica. (Can also be read as ‘Daddy’). But the point isn’t comparing these two species, the point is that both have different qualities they individually are good at, they both have different characteristics. While the stage of so called “Specialty Coffee” has always been available to Arabica Coffee. We (at Last House Café) wanted to offer this stage of “Specialty Coffee” to Robusta for a change, and share what Robusta has to offer.
Pushing the boundaries of Robusta coffee will only help ease the burden off the shoulders of the arabica coffee growers, more towards diversification of the business in sort
40% of total coffee production around the world is Robusta Coffee, this quantity will only change (to be higher) as the climate continuous to change (This topic needs a whole new month of discussion altogether).
The difference of taste in the coffees is not just the result of the chemistry of the beans, but also a long series of human choices. As we talk about the flavors of Arabica, its not just a naturally obtained gift, but also a result of centuries of selection that has emphasized factors related to quality, hence the special care given to arabica at every stage from production, processing, roasting and brewing (again -for a loooooong time). If the similar care/attention is given to Robusta, will things change for Robusta too? We are not sure but at least we can give it a try.
Look at all the reasons stated above plus the fact that Robusta was never given that kind of care, (at any stage) and mostly traded with a lot of defects, the prices of Robusta always remained very low. Now if its low, how would a farmer suddenly invest the same amount of money/time/expertise to produce Specialty Robusta, but without those investments getting Specialty Robusta is difficult. This cycle needs to change, and people need to take the risk in taking the first steps. We are committed to breaking this cycle and get the best of Specialty Robustas possible for us.
There are some people around the world who are constantly and persistently working towards empowering Robusta growers and share the benefits of Robusta and more importantly changing the stereotypical perception people have about Robusta. Robusta will be the future and it will change the world (or at least the way world consumes coffee). We definitely wanted to be taking our stance in giving Robusta the recognition it deserves and are dedicated to this mission.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead
Robusta too is Coffee, a good and a different one, we just want to share this with the world.
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