What Makes Colombian Coffee So Famous?

Colombian soils are perfect for coffee's production.

Colombia produces 12% of coffee consumed worldwide. It’s only surpassed by Brazil and Vietnam, which are the countries with the largest coffee production. Their beans are virtually everywhere, and it’s rare to find someone who hasn’t heard that Colombian coffee is one of the best on the planet. But what makes it so unique? It wins competitions and is famous for its high-quality virtues. Besides, the Coffee Triangle in Colombia is a declared World Heritage Site.

There has to be something magical about it because it has seriously conquered the hearts of coffee lovers around the world, even the pickiest ones. The secret to understanding why Colombia makes such a good coffee is in its climate conditions and its cultivation soils. What you need to know is really simple: the higher the elevation where coffee is grown, the better the coffee bean tastes.

Colombian Arabica is well-known for its mild but rich aroma and its unique flavor. That’s because it's grown at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,800 meters above sea level, in rich volcanic soils. These lands in which it’s planted are frost-free and receive around 80 inches of rain a year. All those climate conditions meet in Colombia’s Coffee Cultural Landscape, which spans from Caldas to Risaralda, and Antioquia’s, Cali’s and Boyaca’s regions.

But that’s not all there is to it. Colombia does not only have one single good climate to grow coffee but many. Coffee is also produced in lower altitudes and warmer zones, as it happens in Santa Marta’s Sierra Nevada and Santander. As a result of these conditions, final products have lower acidity and a fuller body. In the southern regions of Narino, Cauca, Huila and the south of Tolima, beans grow at higher altitudes and closer to the Equator, giving them higher acidity and a sweet flavor.

So if we had to use a word to define Colombian coffee's culture, it would be "variety". And it’s quite amazing to get that many flavors and scents with one single species of coffee bean. All Colombian beans are 100% arabica, everyone’s favorite, which is another reason why it’s so well beloved. Arabica’s varieties cultivated in Colombia are Typica, Comun, Bourbon, Caturra, Colombia, and Maragogipe.

And the way those beans are harvested and processed also makes a significant impact on products' final quality. Colombians carefully pick fully ripe cherries instead of pulling all the strip of coffee cherries in one go. Impressively, they do all of this by hand, one by one. It doesn’t end there because after harvest is picked, farmers separate good beans from defective ones.

Then, coffee is processed with a method called “wet beneficio,” which includes depulping, fermentation, washing, and drying of coffee beans. After that, coffee beans will be classified by size and density, and they’ll be packed and sold.

A lot of what makes Colombian coffee special is the passion and hard work of farmers who are behind its production. They examine all coffee trees every 10 days and can harvest up to 90 kilograms of ripe red cherries a day. Truly a hard day’s work, but totally worth it! At That Coffee Roasters, we’re absolutely proud of our heritage, and we love to share the magic of Colombian Arabica beans with everyone! If you liked this article, subscribe to our blog and follow us on our social media to keep spreading the gospel on Colombian coffee to all Americans.

Passion and art have always characterized coffee farmers' work in Colombia.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

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The Best Climate for an Ideal Coffee

Colombia's geography and climate is perfect for growing coffee due to the elevations and the mountainous places it has.

Colombia, as a country with a diversity of environments and landscapes, is currently a source of life for harvesters to take advantage. Not all products adapt to this diversity, but there’s one that favors it like no other does: coffee. But how does the coffee plant adapt to the conditions of the Colombian lands? Here you’ll see how and why coffee and Colombia work so well together.

The main feature of Colombia’s climate is that it has a tropical climate, meaning that the weather stays constant throughout the year. The only two characteristic seasons in the country are the dry and rainy, often called “summer” and “winter” by the Colombians. These two seasons are of great benefit for the production of coffee.

Normally, altitudes from 1800-3600 feet with 16-24°C are the standard for an ideal coffee in countries like Mexico, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe. On the other hand, Arabica coffee beans in Colombia have different conditions for cultivation, with altitudes between the 4000 and 6000 ft above sea level and temperatures of 17-23°C.

Precipitations and dry seasons need to be well defined as a way to ensure the harvesting of fresh coffee. Each region in Colombia has its particular conditions regarding temperature, solar radiation, and water supply. This means that certain locations have different seasons and periods for harvest through the year.

Perhaps you haven’t heard of the coffee belt (commonly known as “zona cafetera”), but this is the center where the majority of the coffee growing takes place. This zone is considered to be the Cultural Coffee Landscape, a place where you can find the heart of the coffee production.

As you can see, Colombia really stands out not only in culture, but climate and landscapes that favor the harvesting of fine coffee. Are you interested in the best coffee for your brand? If you’re having a hard time choosing, I can assure you that if you contact That Coffee Roasters, there is nothing to lose. They worry about giving what’s best for customers like you, so go and get a sample of the best coffee in the market!

Coffee must have the best conditions to produce even better results, which is why having the proper climate translates into high quality.

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That Coffee Roasters

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Lands of Colombia: A Fertile Paradise

Behind the history of Colombian coffee, there's a lot of passion that reflects in the production of today.

Imagine yourself surrounded by many different contrasts and breathtaking sceneries. No matter where you turn your eyes, there’s beauty everywhere. This land, where flora and fauna thrive among the mountains, is an ideal place where a tradition started. Knowing the importance of heritage makes a product to be even more valuable, which is why Colombian lands are so rich, both historically and in profitability matters.

If you ever get to see Colombia from above, you’ll notice the lands are filled with life: both oceans – Pacific and Caribbean – can be viewed in the coastline, Andes Mountains bisect Colombia, which is separated by mountain ranges with rivers that sustain the land. The sights are not the only things Colombia has in its favor, as it is also a major exporter of a product with worldwide demand: Coffee.

As mentioned above, the country features high altitudes and mountain landscapes, which happens to be the place where coffee is grown and harvested. About the origins of coffee, there is a theory regarding Jesuit priests, which are believed to have brought the first beans in the 17th century. But it was only a century after when the first shipment of coffee made it overseas to the United States in 1835.

Ever since the exporting business started, Colombian coffee paved its way to success providing the best quality products in the coffee industry worldwide. Harvesters, producers, and exporters can owe it to the lands for giving them employment. Colombia’s economic stability can be associated with the surging of this business.

Whenever you’re drinking Colombian coffee on your house or a Café, remember just how deep the roots go and be thankful for being able to enjoy tradition in one coup. Most coffee industries and brands only focus on selling and nothing more, but this is not the case with That Coffee Roasters. They put passion and dedication in their services and products. Contact them to see it yourself!

Colombian lands have the best terrains for the production of the best coffee.

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That Coffee Roasters

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

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