原文：Robusta's Rehab

　　地址：Robusta's Rehab，http://www.coffeegeek.com/opinions/cafestage/02-01-2006。

　　部分内容：

　　It was hard to miss the "100% Arabica" sign at theMolinari Caffè booth during the Specialty Coffee Association of America's (SCAA) conference in Seattle in 2005. But when asked about his all - arabica blend, Fabrizio Mengoli, Molinari's export manager, shrugged his shoulders. "We have more than 100 years in coffee," he said, "and we started to offer 100 percent arabica just this year because of the pressure. Our experience and philosophy is to mix between arabica and robusta. But we are in the market, and people asked to have 100 percent arabica, so we decided to play the game."

　　(译文：2005年美国西雅图的美国特种咖啡协会年会期间，意大利百年企业Caffe Molinari的展台前摆放着醒目的标志，100% Arabica，纯阿拉比卡拼配。但是在问到那个标志的时候，该公司的出口部经理，法布里茨奥蒙高利先生耸了耸肩膀说，“我们从事咖啡行业有一百多年历史了，但只是从今年开始，我们受到客户的压力才开始提供纯阿拉比卡拼配的咖啡。我们有关咖啡的经验和哲学告诉我们，意式拼配咖啡里就是要用一部分的罗豆。但是为了满足市场要求，我们不得不加入这个100%阿拉比卡拼配的游戏。)

　　Robusta has traditionally been used in Italian espresso blends, though that is changing, especially because of Ernesto Illy's strong stance against its use. But many European roasters show little of the anti-robusta passion expressed by their American counterparts. No one will ever accuse coffee people of lacking opinions, but there are few subjects that will turn up an American roaster's pressurestat more quickly than the mention of robusta.

　　(译文：在意大利咖啡传统上，罗豆一直被用来拼配意式咖啡。然而由于Ernesto Illy对罗豆的强烈反对态度，这一情况在改变。但是欧洲的很多咖啡烘焙商并不像他们的美国同行那样抗拒罗豆。没有人会指责那些缺乏观点的人，但是与罗豆相比，有些其它问题更能激发美国烘焙商的压力。)

　　Its detractors will tell you that the only possible reason anyone would use a robusta in an espresso blend is to save money, and that this is the only basis for the Italians' interest in the stuff. They will dismiss it as a strategy used by roasters who are trying to produce coffee that can sit on the shelf for weeks, if not months. And they will say that any robusta, no matter how carefully selected, inevitably will add a woody/ rubbery/ tarmac/ cat pee-pee/ moldy basement floor/ liquefied brown paper bag taste to the coffee.

　　(译文：反对使用罗豆的人会说，在拼配意式咖啡时使用罗豆的唯一原因就是降低成本，而且这是意大利烘焙商对此感兴趣的唯一原因。他们认为这样做的目的就是为了生产出可以存放数周、甚至数月的咖啡。他们还会说，不管罗豆是经过如何精细地挑选过的，都无疑会给咖啡带来木头味、橡胶味、沥青味、猫尿味、霉腐味、纸浆味等不好的味道。)

　　There is general, though by no means universal, agreement that robusta will produce a more substantial, long-lasting crema when added to an espresso blend, and that the aromatic compounds captured in the bubbles will cause the taste and aroma to linger in the mouth for a long period of time. But detractors will quickly add that this is merely prolonging the torture of the taste they find so offensive.

　　(译文：虽然算不上一直同意，但是一般人都认为，罗豆可以让意式拼配咖啡带有稳定的、持续时间较长的克里玛，而细微泡沫里的香味成分可以在口腔中保留一段较长的时间。但是那些反对者马上就会说，这只会延长那些不好的口味存在的时间。)

　　The Allure of Robusta

　　罗布斯塔豆的诱惑

　　Many of robusta's American defenders point to espresso's Italian roots, arguing that their coffees are true to that tradition. They contend that a stable, long-lasting crema is the defining characteristic of espresso - the delivery device that allows the aroma to last in a way that is not possible with an espresso that lacks a sturdy crema. And they will argue that a discrete amount of a carefully selected robusta, in concert with the right arabicas, will deliver body and crema without being detectable on the palate, while blending the flavors and lowering the acidity in the cup.

　　(译文：很多美国的罗豆卫士们追寻意式咖啡{espresso}的意大利根源，他们强调说明他们的咖啡是真正的意大利传统咖啡。他们认为稳定的、可以持续较长时间的克里玛是意式咖啡，espresso的关键特征。没有这层克里玛是不可能有意式咖啡口味的。他们还争论说，适量的罗豆和合适的阿拉比卡豆会给咖啡带来足够的口感和克里玛，没有可察觉的不好的口味，而适当的拼配可以加强咖啡的口味，降低咖啡的酸味。)

　　Let's be clear that (almost) no one suggests that robustas have a place in brewed coffee, and let's agree that there are Italian and American roasters who use it because it is cheaper than arabicas, produces huge crema and has a longshelf life. But there are a number of American roasters who specialize inespresso and use it because they believe it can deliver a desirable quality they just aren't able to get from arabicas. Among these rebels are David Schomer of Espresso Vivace, Dr. Joseph John of Josuma Coffee, Mauro Cipolla of Caffé D'arte, John di Ruocco of Mr. Espresso and Tony Konecny of Victrola Coffee Roasters, a relative newcomer on the Seattle scene.

　　(译文：首先我们要说明，几乎所有人都承认，罗豆完全不适合制作滴滤咖啡;同时，无论是在意大利还是在美国，确实有一些烘焙商使用罗豆是为了降低成本，和制作出更充分的crema，以及延长咖啡豆的保存时间。但是仍然有很多专注于意式咖啡的美国烘焙商使用罗豆，因为他们相信罗豆可以贡献阿拉比卡种咖啡无法提供的口味。这些人里包括Vivace咖啡的大卫舒默，Josuma咖啡的约翰约瑟夫，D'arte咖啡的毛利奇波拉，Mr. Espresso公司的约翰洛克，Victrola咖啡公司，西雅图的一支咖啡新秀的托尼科内尼。)

　　Another defender of the practice is writer and Coffee Review editor KennethDavids, who says he often uses high-end, wet-processed Indian robustas in his espresso blends and prefers espressos with a 10 percent to 20 percent presence of such coffees. It's important to begin any discussion of this subject by pointing out that the coffees that have given robusta a bad name are extremely poorly processed naturals, Davids observes, and that the robustas he finds attractive are high - end washed robustas from India, Uganda and, recently,Mexico. Davids also is intrigued by the idea of well - processed naturals, but he hasn't yet found one he can recommend.

　　(译文：应用罗豆的捍卫者还包括作家和咖啡评论的主编，肯尼斯戴维斯。戴维斯说，他经常在拼配意式咖啡豆时使用高等级的印度水洗罗豆，他一般的使用比例是10-20%。戴维斯注意到，如果要讨论任何有关罗豆使用的问题，首先要说明最早给罗豆带来坏名声的是那些处理的很不好的自然处理的罗豆;而吸引戴维斯的是那些处理的很好的、高等级的罗豆，例如印度的、乌干达的、和最近墨西哥的罗豆。戴维斯对处理得很好的干燥罗豆还产生了极大的兴趣，只是还没有能找到一个他认为值得推荐的品种。)

　　"Robustas are like a black hole of taste in drip coffee," he observes. "They suck energy out of the blend. But in espresso they just function in a different way. In espresso they seem to knit things together, and smooth, and create a kind of resonance. A really good one can contribute positive flavor notes, too. They have a kind of nutty, spicy taste." He says that when asked to develop an espresso blend for a client, he will present four or five choices, and that almost without fail the client will select a blend that includes robusta.

　　(译文：戴维斯注意到，罗豆在滴滤咖啡的品味里就像是黑洞，从拼配中吸收能量。但是在意式拼配咖啡里罗豆的表现完全不同，它就像是把各种口味拢在一起，产生滑顺的口感，并产生一种共鸣。一个好的罗豆也可以带来好的口味;例如‘坚果’和‘辛辣’的口味。戴维斯说，当客户请他开发一款意式拼配咖啡的时候，他总是向客户提供四到五种选择，而客户最终选择的几乎都是带有罗豆的拼配。)

　　Davids emphasizes that he is not knocking all-arabica espressos and points in particular to George Howell's Daterra Farm espresso, which he dubs "exquisite." But he adds that for "a good sturdy blend that will stand up to almost anything a consumer does to it, I find it hard to achieve that without some robustas. They are another arrow in your quiver when you're blending for espresso, and a really useful one."

　　(译文：戴维斯强调说，他并不是抨击纯阿拉比卡种拼配意式咖啡，他还特别指明了乔治哈维尔的达特拉农庄的意式拼配咖啡，他认为那是一款非常精致的意式咖啡。但是他也指出，如果要想为客户提供一款能够全面满足顾客要求的好的意式拼配咖啡，没有一定的罗豆是很难做到的。如果你要拼配一款意式咖啡，它是你的“箭袋”里的另外一支“箭”，一只确实非常有用的“箭”。)

　　Schomer describes a discussion he had with an Italian roaster during a 1993 trip to Italy. When he asked about the Italian interest in robustas as an ingredient in espresso blends, the roaster explained that Italian gourmet roasters were obsessed with searching out fine robustas that would produce the body and crema associated with them without detracting from the flavor of the arabicas, and that the source of an Italian roaster's robusta was his most closely guarded secret.

　　(译文：舒莫描述了他在1993年去意大利旅行期间与一个意大利咖啡烘焙商的讨论。当他问那个意大利咖啡烘焙商有关意大利人对意式拼配咖啡中为何使用罗豆的时候，那个意大利烘焙商解释说：意大利的精品咖啡烘焙商总是刻意寻找既可以增加咖啡的口感和咖啡表面的克里玛，而又不会破坏阿拉比卡种咖啡带来的口味的罗豆。而这些罗豆的来源则是各个意大利咖啡烘焙公司最需要保护的机密。)

　　"Thus began my search for a mild, inoffensive robusta," says Schomer, "and my discovery of an 'estate robusta,' hand-cultivated, washed and graded with all the care of a fine arabica." He now considers high-quality robustas an indispensable element in his espresso blends. "Robusta,"he offers, "increases the viscosity and life span of the crema, which cradles your arabical flavors in a protective foam to allow them to be enjoyed by your customer. Selection is very critical to avoid woody, astringent or oily flavors. I am looking for monster crema from a robusta with a mild, neutral flavor."

　　(译文：舒莫说，“从那一刻我就开始寻找一个柔和的，不会破坏咖啡口味的罗豆。我找到的罗豆是与任何优质阿拉比卡种咖啡豆相同的人工采摘、水洗、并经过严格分级处理的。在舒莫的意式拼配咖啡豆里，高等级的罗豆已经是不可缺少的了。舒莫还说，这些罗豆增加了他的意式拼配咖啡豆制作的意式咖啡的粘稠度和克里玛的保留时间，而这层克里玛保护了咖啡的香味，以便让顾客享受到咖啡的香味。罗豆的适当选择对于避免在咖啡中出现木头的味道、涩的味道、和臭油的味道是非常关键的。我找的是能够带有大量的克里玛，但是口味柔和，而且是中性口味的罗豆。”)

　　Cipolla sees himself as the guardian of an espresso tradition that he believes is being lost even in Italy. A true espresso, he argues, is a dark roast using "the right type of robusta, roasted at different temperature/time curves than arabicas and blended at proper percentages with proper nonconflicting arabica beans." An all-arabica espresso blend, he observes, may produce crema, but without the density and viscosity that can be achieved with robusta. The experience in the cup, he says, is not only about the amount of crema, but the characteristics associated with it. Robusta, he argues, is much harder to work with than arabica, "but if one knows what to do, robustas can add to arabicas, and vice versa."

　　(译文：Cipolla把自己看做是意式咖啡传统的卫士，他认为传统的意式咖啡甚至在意大利也在逐渐丢失。他强调说，一个真正的意式咖啡应该是用“正确品种的、经过与阿拉比卡种咖啡豆不一样的温度/时间曲线烘焙的罗豆，经过与之相协调的阿拉比卡豆以适当比例的拼配而成的”深烘焙咖啡豆。他观察到，一个纯阿拉比卡拼配意式咖啡豆可能会有一定的克里玛，但是没有罗豆就达不到应有的浓度和粘稠度。他说，一杯好的意式咖啡并不是有了一定的克里玛就足够了，更重要的是它的口味。他坚持认为，罗豆比阿拉比卡豆更难处理，但是如果知道该如何处理，罗豆就可以为阿拉比卡豆增色，反之也是一样。)

　　John says that he came to the coffee world with no biases. He was interested in producing an espresso blend in the Italian tradition with the Indian beans he was importing to the United States, and he realized that Indian robustas were remarkable for their softness. Looking at what they could bring to his blend, he saw more pluses than minuses and thought, "Why wouldn't I use it if it has no other liability other than the fact that there is a big campaign against it?"

　　(译文：约翰说，他在咖啡界没有偏见。他很想用他从印度进口到美国的咖啡豆加工出一款意式拼配豆。他因此认识到印度的罗豆非常有助于让他的咖啡更加柔和，而在他的拼配中罗豆所起到的正面的作用多于负面的作用。因此他认为，既然没有什么不好，为什么不用罗豆呢?)

　　The unique thing about an espresso machine, says John, is that it has the ability to force the water molecules into the interior of the coffee particles and drive out the oils. "And if you don't emulsify the oil," he adds,"you're not producing espresso." Like Cipolla, he argues that most North American espresso is not true espresso. In most cases, he says, only the solubles have been extracted, as with brewed coffee, and there is little or no crema. And without crema, he asks, "What is going to capture the aroma and deliver it to the consumer?"

　　(译文：约翰说，意式咖啡机最独特的一点就是可以用压力强迫水分子进入咖啡粒子内部，并萃取出油脂。他还说，如果萃取不出油脂，那做出来的就根本不是意式咖啡。与Cipolla相似，他认为北美的大多数“意式咖啡”并非是真正的意式咖啡。约翰说，大多数情况下北美的意式咖啡与滴滤咖啡一样，只萃取出了可溶性物质;几乎或完全没有克里玛。他责问到，“那些没有克里玛的咖啡如何能把咖啡的香味带给顾客呢?”)

　　With the discrete use of a "mute" robusta that will deliver long-lasting crema without adversely affecting the taste, says John, you can capture the aromatic compounds (along with carbon dioxide) in tiny bubbles of oil film. You want the bubbles to last, he says, and to burst in the back of the mouth so that the aroma is released into the nose, and you want those bubbles to attach themselves to the taste buds and continue to deliver their aroma for a couple of hours. "The persistence of crema is a 
measurable quality, and that is lacking in North American espresso," argues John. "Even the arabica blends that produce crema, it doesn't last very long."

　　(译文：约翰说，间断地使用不会影响咖啡口味、又可以提供可以存留很长时间克里玛的“哑巴”罗豆，就可以{与二氧化碳一起}捕获微小的油脂沫里的咖啡香味。他说，你要让克里玛长时间保持，以便在口腔的后部破裂，并释放出香味进入鼻腔，你还希望这些油脂沫“克里玛”可以“挂在”味蕾上，并连续几个小时地释放咖啡香味。约翰辩解到，克里玛的可持续性是意式咖啡质量的标志，但是北美的“意式咖啡”缺少这样的标志。“虽然阿拉比卡拼配的咖啡也能产生克里玛，但是持续时间不长。)

　　All Arabica

　　纯阿拉比卡拼配

　　One of the most outspoken opponents of robustas over the years has been Don Schoenholt, "founding father" of the SCAA and president of Gillies Coffee in New York. Schoenholt recalls a time many years ago when Pete McLaughlin of Royal Coffee in Emeryville, Calif., asked him to taste an unusual coffee. "The coffee was heavy and smooth, no aroma to speak of and no acidity. It had a neutral aspect on the palate. It was all body - a deep, swirling, dark, heavy, lingering mouth - feel." The mystery coffee was a washed Thai robusta, roasted to second crack, and McLaughlin suggested it might be useful in an espresso. Schoenholt experimented with it but ultimately decided against using it in his espresso blends. As he puts it, he found that "there was an effect on cup quality that is undesirable, and even though I love foam on espresso, ice cream sodas and beer, I choose in my own coffees not to trade taste for the esoteric choice of little bubbles."

　　(译文：数年来罗豆的最坚定的反对者是SCAA的创建之父，纽约的吉利咖啡的总裁，Don Schoenholt先生。Schoenholt先生回忆说，很多年前加州艾莫利维尔市的皇家咖啡，Royal Coffee，的皮特迈克劳林请他来品尝一款独特的咖啡。“这个咖啡的口味很重，口感滑顺，没有什么香味，也没有酸味儿。口味很中性，all body，deep, swirling, dark, heavy, lingering mouth-feel”。这个神秘的咖啡就是水洗的泰国罗豆咖啡，烘焙到二爆，迈克劳林先生建议把它用于意式咖啡的拼配。Schoenholt先生实验过后，最终决定在他的意式拼配咖啡里不使用这款咖啡豆。......)

　　One theory about strong anti-robusta feelings in the American specialty coffee world is that the founders of the SCAA were, by and large, brewed coffee people rather than espresso people. Asked about this, Schoenholt argues that they were not coffee beverage people at all, but "bean people. Starbucks did not sell cups of coffee. Gillies did not sell cups of coffee. M.E. Swing did not sell cups of coffee. Al Peet put an urn in his store later. And even then he was alone." Of course, one might counter that the beans specialty coffee pioneers were selling were intended for brewed coffee, not espresso. Indeed, Peet's did not offer an espresso blend until the introduction of Espresso Forte in 2002.

　　(译文：)

　　But Schoenholt does seem to leave the door open, even a crack. "It is true that a sword-line in the sand was drawn (on the robusta question)," he remarks. "It is also true that things change. With the unmitigated success of specialty coffee in the land, we can afford the luxury of relaxing our grip on the sword hilt - not on standards, but on dogma."

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　　George Howell, Tim Castle and Mane Alves give little ground to robusta. "I've tried some of the famous espressos with robusta in them, and I don't care for them," says Castle. "In my opinion, it's a form-over-function approach. I think the goal of the thick, rubbery crema is to seal in the aroma. But once you add the robusta, you've defeated the purpose." Howell remembers being somewhat surprised by an Indian robusta he tasted at the SCAA conference in Boston in 2003, but quicky adds, "The dramatic un-sweetness of robusta precludes me from using it. I find that even the most neutral robusta takes away what I'm after, which is sweetness."

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　　Coffee Lab International owner Alves' opposition is particularly striking because he once conducted a series of tests for a client who asked him how much robusta could be used in a blend without the taste being detectable. Using a mild Angolan robusta, Alves found that the robusta was not detectable until he went up to 10 percent or 15 percent. Still, he argues that there is no reason to use it in an espresso blend, as the main factor in getting crema is the freshness of the roast, not the type of beans.

　　(译文：)

　　Alves also argues that a café owner who uses a robusta blend is acting against his or her own self-interest. When one drinks an all-arabica espresso, he says, "Your body will ask you for more in a couple of hours," while an espresso containing robusta will satisfy the customer for the rest of the day. "I'm in a business where I'd like the customer to come back and get more coffee," he says.

　　Neutral Territory

　　中立区域

　　Still, many roasters with a strong interest in espresso continue to buck the anti-robusta trend. A fairly new arrival on the espresso scene is Seattle's Victrola Coffee Roasters, which created quite a stir during April's SCAA conference, even though they did not have a booth and were not included on the official conference tours of Seattle coffeehouses. As word spread, more and more conference attendees and World Barista Championship (WBC) finalists made the trip over to Victrola's comfortable East 15th Avenue headquarters for a taste of Victrola's Streamline Espresso blend, a rich, smooth coffee in which the blueberry notes from the Harrar sang out with the purity of a Roberta Peters aria.

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　　When Jen Strogin and Chris Sharp opened Victrola five years ago, they tried different coffees and settled on Schomer's Espresso Vivace blends. But two years ago, with Schomer's support, they began to experiment with roasting their own. Roaster Konecny says that they initially included robusta because Schomer uses it in his blends, and they didn't want to make a major change.

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　　Konecny says he doesn't use robusta for crema, but because "a good robusta, roasted well, provides a middle flavor note that glues some top - note flavors to some middle-note flavors. At a small percentage, it has a space to occupy that's unique." He also finds that the robusta brings down the overall acidity of the blend and helps maintain the caramel and chocolate tones while allowing the top notes to come out without being overly bright.

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　　At the same time, Konecny isn't joining John, Schomer and Cipolla on the robusta pulpit, and he says that removing the robusta from the blend is always an option. His attitude reflects openness to considering all the options and a willingness to cross the line in the sand over robusta.

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　　WBC certified judge Andrew Barnett, owner of Ecco Caffé in Santa Rosa, Calif., is another serious espresso roaster who has kept an open mind on the robusta question. He isn't currently using robusta because, as he puts it, "the flavor profile that I am attempting to express is not served by the addition of a premium robusta." Still, he has experimented with robustas, doesn't rule out using it in the future and adds, "There are a plethora of possibilities in creating a stellar espresso blend with robusta."

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　　As Barnett mentally surveys the best espressos he has tasted in the last year, he includes Schomer's Dolce blend, Caffé D'arte's Parioli, Dr. John's Malabar Gold and Victrola's Streamline, alongside all-arabica blends like Stumptown's Hair Bender, Hines Public Market Coffee's espresso, George Howell's Daterra Farm North Italian Style Espresso and 2004 World Barista Champion Tim Wendelboe's Stockfleth's blend.

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　　The debate over the appropriateness of using robusta in espresso blends is not likely to dissipate soon, but as the serious espresso culture that started in the Pacific Northwest continues to expand around the country, with the opening of roastery/cafés run by quality - driven roasters and staffed by passionate and well - trained baristas, it seems likely that more roasters will explore the use of robustas in their drive to create distinctive espressos.

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　　About this Article

　　This article was reprinted with permission from Fresh Cup Magazine. It originally appeared in theJune 2005 Coffee Almanac edition of the magazine.

　　(译文：关于这篇文章，这篇文章是在鲜杯杂志，Fresh Cup Magazine的授权下重新出版的。该文章的最初版本是刊登在该杂志的特别版，JUne 2005 Coffee Almanac。)

　　About the Author

　　Richard Reynolds is communications director of Mother Jones Magazine and has written about coffee for the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and other publications. Comments on this article may be sent to mail@freshcup.com.

　　(译文：关于作者，理查德雷诺尔兹是琼斯妈妈杂志的通讯主任，也为纽约时报，旧金山编年史和其它刊物编写过有关咖啡的文章。有关这篇文章的评论可以发到下面的邮件地址，mail@freshcup.com)。