Here at Roastery of Cave Creek, we're obsessed with the "what." What's in your cup? What makes it taste so good? Since 1997, our mission has been to source and roast the absolute best, freshest coffee in Arizona. But "best" starts long before the roast. It starts with the bean itself.
You may know coffee as a brown, roasted bean, but did you know it starts its life as a fruit? That's right—a coffee bean is actually the seed of a small, bright red fruit called a "coffee cherry."
But not all coffee cherries are created equal. In the wide world of coffee, there are over 100 species, but there are only two that truly matter for your daily cup: Arabica and Robusta.
The difference between them is everything—flavor, caffeine, cost, and quality.
1. Arabica (The "Specialty" Bean)
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What It Is: This is the "champagne" of coffee. Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes, where the cooler temperatures and (often) volcanic soil cause the beans to mature slowly. This slow development creates a much more complex and nuanced bean.
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Flavor Profile: This is where you get all those amazing, subtle flavors. Arabica is known for its bright acidity (that pleasant "sparkle"), sweetness, and complex notes of fruit, chocolate, florals, or nuts.
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Growing: It's a delicate, difficult plant, susceptible to pests and weather. Because it yields less and is harder to grow, it's more expensive.
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The Bottom Line: Nearly 100% of the "specialty coffee" you buy from a roaster (including us!) is Arabica.
2. Robusta (The "Caffeine" Bean)
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What It Is: This is the workhorse of the coffee world. As its name suggests, it's a "robust" plant. It can be grown at lower altitudes in hotter climates and is highly resistant to pests.
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Flavor Profile: The flavor is... well, robust. It's often described as harsh, bitter, rubbery, or grainy. It's not a bean you drink for its nuance.
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Caffeine: This is Robusta's superpower. It contains 2-3 times more caffeine than Arabica. This high caffeine content is actually a natural pest deterrent for the plant.
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The Bottom Line: Because it's cheap to grow and has a strong, bitter kick, Robusta is the primary bean used in instant coffee and cheap, pre-ground supermarket blends.
The ROC² Promise: 100% Specialty Arabica
So, when you see a bag of coffee at the store that just says "100% Coffee," it's often a blend of cheaper Robusta beans.
When you buy from ROC², you are always getting 100% specialty-grade Arabica.
We believe that great coffee isn't just a jolt of caffeine; it's an experience. It's the bright, fruity flavor of an Ethiopian bean or the rich, chocolatey body of a Guatemalan. That experience is only possible with high-quality Arabica. Want to learn even more about the different types of Arabica? The experts at World Coffee Research have an amazing guide to this amazing plant.
We sort through the best to find the best. It's what we've proudly done in Cave Creek since 1997.