That Coffee Roasters: Latin America: Coffee From the New Continent

lunes, 23 de abril de 2018

Latin America: Coffee From the New Continent

Latin America is one of the largest coffee producers and exporters on a global level.

Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador… These names have been synonymous with “good coffee” for decades, and there’s a good reason. These are the largest coffee producers in Latin America, whose exports support their economy, and the fame of their products and recipes with coffee make them a target of tourism and multiple franchises, all dedicated to the preparation of excellent coffee grounds and brews.

Today we’ll expand our knowledge about the production and trade of coffee in Latin America. Colombia and Brazil are most noted for their coffee. Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru produce smaller crops, mostly consumed in-country, but Peruvian coffee is increasingly exported.

In Latin America, coffee is the hot drink of choice, hands down, except in two countries where tea consumption leads the market (Chile and Bolivia), according to a recent study by Euromonitor International. Thanks to the growing dynamism of the market, to innovations in brewing methods and to development of the origin as added value, the consumption of high-quality coffees has been growing in most of the region’s countries.

Some producing countries, like Colombia for instance, have coffee-related traditions of more than one century (like gathering around the coffee table to gossip and share stories), but only in the last decade the consumption has become strongly sophisticated, which has resulted in the entry of specialty coffees, specialized stores, and consumption of responsible or sustainable products.

Knowing the general characteristics of coffee regions can help you as you pick out coffee and learn what you like best. This is called “terroir”. Terroir in coffee (as in wine), is a word that expresses everything about the geographic region of that particular bean: its soil, the weather conditions, the processing methods of production, all of which give each coffee its unique taste and character.

There are literally thousands of coffee varieties, so grouping them by large geographical areas of terroir is difficult, but there are some very broad characteristics in Latin American Coffee. Beans from Latin America tend to have a very distinct set of flavors and textures, depending on their roast. They are often grown at high altitudes in volcanic soil, which gives them brightness and sweetness.

Their acidity is usually high, with a light body. This acidity is best found in Merida Specialty Coffee (Venezuela). There’s often a distinct sweetness and tanginess to Latin American coffee. Its flavor is usually brought out best by a light or medium roast, so you don't see as many espresso or French roasts with Latin American beans.

Like Venezuela, coffee from Peru is said to have mild acidity and very light body. Often, coffee from Peru exhibits a vanilla-nut sweetness that is unique in taste. Although hard to come by, Peruvian coffee is quite recommended for picky palates

Colombia: Kings of Latin American Coffee

Coffee plants first hit the Americas in the 18th century, Jesuit priests are credited with introducing it to Colombia around 1730. Nowadays, Colombia is the largest exporter in the world of washed Arabica coffees-third overall in terms of overall production. Colombian coffees can be some of the finest coffees in the world.

Extreme balance, great body, perfect acidity and crisp, slightly fruity finish round out these exquisite coffees. The beans are generally grown at very high elevations in the Andes Region, and some of the most noticeable Colombian brews come from Bucaramanga, Medellin, and Huila, and are the favorites of sweet-toothed coffee lovers for their caramel notes.

It's easy to imagine that Colombians drink the best coffee the world has to offer, but the reality is different. The average Colombian makes a distinction between what they call “tinto” and what we call “café”, which is similar to the difference between packed grocery store coffee and what you'd find in a fancy coffee shop. ‘’Tinto’’ doesn't refer to one particular way of preparation: it could be everything, from a simple drip brewer to a pour-over cloth coffee filter (looks like a sock). It's the Colombian equivalent of a “cup of Joe”.

Part of the explanation behind this cultural difference is that Colombia has a quite high-quality standard for the type of beans they export, and everything below that stays in the country for national consumption, much of it becoming “tinto”.

If you enjoyed our content, don’t hesitate to follow us on our social networks, and we’ll be glad to answer all your questions; so don’t be shy, and leave them in the comment section.