What's Robusta?


As a Coffee Lover-  you may know there's 2 Main Coffee Bean Varieties:

1- Arabica  + 2 Robusta 

Modern Trends lean towards lighter roasts and only using Arabica variety beans. 

However, Lien and I... well we don't follow trends

 Here, at FOB Coffee, we prefer full body Arabica/Robusta blends, or even 100 Robusta beans. Yep, whatever makes our mouth happy. 

Robusta Key Characteristics:

  • Bold Flavor: Robusta has a distinctive, robust taste with Mocha and nutty notes
  • Higher Caffeine: Contains nearly twice the caffeine of Arabica beans 
  • Vietnamese Tradition: Robusta is the foundation of traditional Vietnamese coffee culture
  • Perfect for Espresso: Creates excellent crema and adds body to espresso blends

At F.O.B Vietnamese Coffee, we celebrate the unique qualities of Robusta beans and their important role in Vietnamese coffee tradition.

Green Robusta Beans:

 

Roasted Robusta:

 

Q: Why Use a Robusta blend instead of the usual 100% Arabica?

A: Because we love a bold brew with bite. . It’s stronger, more body, and holds up beautifully in phin drip, milk based espresso, or iced coffee. .. Its the chosen blend for 100s of millions of Italians, Indonesians, Vietnamese and Malaysians.

Q: Is Robusta bitter or low quality?

A: Not the beans we use, or the way we roast it. We carefully select only the best beans and roast very carefully to avoid bitterness.

Q: Why should I drink FOB Robusta?

A: Because you want coffee that tastes like coffee right? Not autumn leaves or peaches ...It’s got crema, it’s got punch, and it’s how coffee is done in Vietnam. Try it with ice and condensed milk and thank us later.

Q: Is it strong?

A: Very

Q: How do I brew FOB coffee?

A: However you like—but we recommend:

☑️ Phin filter (traditional Vietnamese drip)

☑️ Espresso shot ,slightly cooler than Arabica  

☑️ Iced coffee with sweetened milk

and some use cold brew


Q: Is Robusta Coffee good for you?

A: Yep—but like all good things, in moderation.  Robusta packs more caffeine and antioxidants than Arabica, which means:

  • ⚡ Energy boost: Higher caffeine gives you longer-lasting alertness—no sleepy sips here.
  • 🔥 Faster metabolism: Studies suggest caffeine can help increase fat burning and metabolic rate.
  • 🛡️ Antioxidants: Robusta chlorogenic acids (a natural antioxidant) , which help fight inflammation and oxidative stress.
  • 💪 Fewer chemicals: Robusta plants are naturally pest-resistant, so they’re grown with fewer pesticides than Arabica—especially when sourced from smallholder farms like ours.
  • Much Lower acidity than Arabica, so it's easier on the stomach 

  

 

(Will Nguyen, Fine Cherry producers)
Vietnamese Robusta is considered some of the best in the world for several reasons:

Ideal Climate & Soil – Vietnam has perfect growing conditions for Robusta, with rich volcanic soil, high humidity, and optimal temperatures in regions like the Central Highlands (Buôn Ma Thuột, Đắk Lắk).

HAVE YOU TRIED IT YET?

Everyone remembers their first Vietnamese Coffee experience !