Colombian Coffee Facts and Traditions

Learn more about our heritage.

There’s coffee, and then there’s Colombian coffee, which is worldwide known for its diversity and rich flavors. Some people claim that it’s the best coffee in the world and, honestly, it’d be hard to argue against it. If there’s a culture that takes coffee seriously, it’s Colombian. In the Latin American country, coffee is always the perfect excuse to meet with friends and talk. It’s there in the mornings and late afternoons and at least 89 percent of Colombian people consider it the national beverage.

Coffee is never absent in at least 8 of 10 Colombian homes, and it’s always present in 86 percent of the stores. Colombia perceives around $3.5 billion per year thanks to coffee revenue, and most of this is thanks to the thousands of coffee farmers around the country. The Colombian coffee you drink every day comes from one of the 66.387 hectares worth of coffee crops.

And that’s where most of the Colombian coffee magic resides. Every day, coffee farmers follow a long tradition of producing top-notch quality coffee. Colombian coffee cherries are manually harvested when they’ve reached ideal ripening levels, and they’re immediately cleaned from the paste to make sure it won’t impregnate beans. This way, Colombian coffee differentiates itself from others because of its handcrafted tradition and culture. Every farmer works to pick just the very best of their crops.

Manual harvest results in better quality beans, and it employs a vast part of the Colombian rural population. Around 95 percent of Colombian families that work with coffee have their own farms, which is why coffee production is seen as a family activity by Colombian people (and by us as well!). Everyone participates, and the coffee traditions pass from one generation to the next, allowing consistency in quality.

In addition, Colombia has been putting extra efforts in developing social responsibility programs to support coffee farmers and give them the tools they need to improve their production and learn new ways to grow better coffee. They’re also focused on developing environmentally friendly solutions to face climate change, which is already affecting coffee crops all over the country.

One thing’s certain: for Colombian people, coffee means family, well being and tradition. It’s part of our identity and part of our pride. Black coffee helps us feel close to those we love the most, as well as it gives us vitality and energy to go through our days. It’s the perfect host for home and work. Coffee with milk evokes feelings associated with coziness and safety. It brings back the memories of the best moments shared with our families, and it simply makes us happy! At That Coffee Roasters, we have a special place in our hearts for all Colombian coffee, and we continue to carry on the traditions of our lands to offer coffee’s best virtues and qualities to you!

What's your favorite thing about Colombian coffee?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

How To Ask For A Cup of Coffee in Different Languages

Don't let your travels find you without a cup of coffee in your hand.

One of the best things about coffee is that it’s virtually everywhere. You can enjoy a cup of your favorite drink all across the five continents, in every country. Some of them are even worldwide known experts on coffee culture and coffee production. Whether it’s treated as a tourist attraction or just a must-have, if you’re traveling abroad you’ll never have to worry about finding a place to have your daily dose of caffeine.

However, a real problem could come if you don’t know how to ask for it. Sure, if you say “cafe,” most people will understand what you want, as the word has few etymological changes in the different languages. However, it’s always useful to be able to communicate clearly, so you don’t get in the middle of misunderstandings and cultural impasses. Learn how to ask for a cup of coffee like a polyglot pro with us!

The first thing you’ve got to know is why it’s called "coffee" in the first place. Coffee is believed to have originated from Ethiopia. Because of that, it’s said that the word comes from the Ethiopian province of Kaffa, where,  oddly enough, they call it bunno. After it spread all over the world, and while every culture learned to add their personal touch to this beverage, the word kept loyal to its true origins, barely changing. Here are few examples of how coffee is spelled and pronounced in some languages:

Arabic: قهوة (qahwa)
Chinese: 咖啡 (Kāfēi)
French: Café
German: Kaffee
Italian: Caffè
Japanese: コーヒー (Kōhī)
Korean: 커피 (Keopi)
Portuguese: Café
Russian: Кофе (Kofe)
Spanish: Café

Afrikaans: Koffie
Dutch: Koffie
Finnish: Kahvi
Greek: Καφές (Kafés)
Hindi: कॉफ़ी (Kofee)
Icelandic: Kaffi
Romanian: Cafea
Swedish: Kaffe

Even though the pronunciation is very similar in many languages, culture, customs, and specifications vary widely in every society. For example, did you know that it’s frown upon to ask for a cappuccino after the morning in Italy? Or that if you ask for a coffee in Finland, they’ll probably add a cheese bread to accompany your cup with? Part of the incredible experience of traveling is learning the little details that customize every lifestyle, and that makes us so unique as human beings.

And as we are unique, we also know that everyone has different tastes and preferences when it comes to coffee. It’s not enough to know how to say it in every language, so here we are to shed some light on how to ask for coffee just the way you like it!

FRENCH
How to order it	Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît
With/without milk	Café au lait/Sans lait
With/without sugar	Avec sucre/Sans sucre
Hot/cold	Chaud/Froid
Small/Medium/Large	Petit/Moyen/Grand

SPANISH
How to order it	¿Me da un café, por favor?
With/without milk	Café con leche/Sin leche
With/without sugar	Con azúcar/Sin azúcar
Hot/cold	Caliente/Frío
Small/Medium/Large	Pequeño/Mediano/Grande

ITALIAN
How to order it	Vorrei un caffè si, prega
With/without milk	Caffè latte/Senza latte
With/without sugar	Con zucchero/Senza zucchero
Hot/cold	Caldo/Freddo
Small/Medium/Large	Piccolo/Normale/Grande

GERMAN
How to order it	Ich möchte einen Kaffee, bitte
With/without milk	Mit Milch/ohne Milch
With/without sugar	Mit zucker/ohne Zucker
Hot/cold	Heiss/Kalt
Small/Medium/Large	Klein/Normal/Gross

SWEDISH
How to order it	Jag vill ha en kopp kaffe och en kanelbulle.
With/without milk	Med mjölk/utan mjölk
With/without sugar	Med socker/utan socker
Hot/cold	Varm/kall
Small/Medium/Large	Små/Vanligt/Stort

JAPANESE
How to order it	コーヒーをください (Koohii wo kudasai)
With/without milk	ミルクコーヒー (mirukukoohii)/ ブラックコーヒー(burakkukoohii)
With/without sugar	砂糖 (Satou)/砂糖なし (Satou nashi)
Hot/cold	ホット (hotto)/コールド (koorudo)
Small/Medium/Large	小さなコーヒー (chiisanakoohii) /中型コーヒー (chuugatakoohii)/大型コーヒー (oogatakoohii)

PORTUGUESE
How to order it	Você pode me dar um café, por favor?
With/without milk	Com laite/Sem laite
With/without sugar	Com açúcar/Sem açúcar
Hot/cold	Quente/Frio
Small/Medium/Large	Pequeno/Médio/Grande

Are you planning a trip to any of the countries where these languages are spoken? Then you’re ready to go! At That Coffee Roasters, we love to go to Colombia to find the best of coffee's culture and traditions. You can enjoy coffee from different origins right here with us. Check our online store and pick the best selections of our products!

Where are you going?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Why You Should Add Coffee to Your Thanksgiving Celebration

Coffee's unique aroma is perfect to make your Thanksgiving warm and special! 

The air is crisp, leaves are falling, and colors are changing. Flavors are getting sweeter and family dinners bigger. We’re getting close to Christmas, and nothing calls for coffee's earthy and warm aromas like the end of a Thanksgiving dinner. A good dose of caffeine is always bound to make us feel better and replenish our energies. It’s the perfect companion for a round of childhood tales and old memories recounted around a dinner table or hearth.

Before your Thanksgiving celebration, think about coffee. When you’re shopping for the last ingredients, remember it has the potential to give that final magic touch to your dinner. You can gift your hosts a bag of coffee, or you can use it to accompany desserts. It’s also a great option for guests who don’t drink alcohol and goes incredibly well with pumpkin's and cinnamon's flavors. Just as wine, coffee has different attributes that change its properties and make it taste different. It’s an excellent ingredient for many meals as well!

For example, if you’re serving a pumpkin pie for dessert, a medium-roasted coffee with a delicate body is its perfect companion. You could even start drinking it from morning to the end of the day. If by any chance, you prefer a chocolate dessert, a dark-roasted coffee's sweetness and full body is the way to go! It tastes amazing with chocolate and will leave your guests asking for more.

If you decide to go with an apple pie or another fruity dessert, lighter coffee roasts are your perfect allies. Their brightness and citrus flavors will enhance any of these dishes’ fruity qualities. You’ll enjoy this combination like no other! It’s a matter of knowing how to mix your cup of joe to seize all benefits it can bring to your Thanksgiving dinner.

You can also take it further and prepare a delicious coffee milkshake. It’s easy to make at home, and it’ll make dessert time even more special. All you’ll need is:

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• Chocolate sauce (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon marshmallow cream
• 4 cups vanilla ice cream
• Crushed Graham crackers for topping
• Chocolate drops for garnish.

To prepare it, follow these instructions:

1. Brew the coffee.
2. Grab two glasses and spread the chocolate sauce all along their interior sides in a vertical pattern. The glass should look as if it's striped with chocolate.
3. Spread marshmallow cream around the lip of each glass.
4. In a blender or food processor, combine the coffee and ice cream until they are well mixed.
5. Pour the mixture into the glasses and top them with crushed Graham crackers.
6. Garnish them with a chocolate drop and serve.

Just remember not to brew your coffee ahead of time as it tends to become bitter over time. Besides, if you let it sit for too long, its flavor won’t be as strong. Start preparing it right after dinner. It can be done while you clear the table and serve dessert! Have different additions at hand, so everyone can have their coffee as they like. Milk creamers or sweeteners are a must to make this Thanksgiving as cozy as you can! Search for your favorite coffees on That Coffee Roasters’ online shop and let us join you in this and the many celebrations to come!

Make the most delicious desserts or the best drinks with coffee for your family!

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Run Out of Coffee Filters? Try These Great Substitutes!

You ran out of coffee filters, but not everything is lost! You can still try these substitutes!

Some people can't live without their cup of coffee in the mornings or afternoons. Believe us, we understand. We’re some of those people ourselves! So when the day comes that we can’t brew our coffee grounds because we forgot buying coffee filters, there’s a big chance that all hell will break loose. What do we do? How do we survive? Of course, we could go to the nearest coffee shop and solve the problem right away, but sometimes we’re too tired even to leave the house without our cup.

Fear not! We have good news: not all is lost. There are some pretty decent potential coffee filters that you have laying around your house without even knowing it. All you need is a little bit of vision and creativity, and you’ll have your hot coffee fuming in no time. Check out these fantastic substitutes for filters and search for them to see if you have them at home.

Cheesecloth

Not everyone has a cheesecloth, but if you happen to be one of those who does, then this is your lucky day. Depending on how thin it is, you can fold it over once or twice and cut it to fit the size of the basket in your brewer. Filter the coffee as you usually would and done! In theory, you could also use a kitchen towel, but they’re not very good at allowing the water to drip appropriately. If you use one, make sure it’s as thin as you can find it.

Mesh sieve

There is a chance that you have one of these in your house, and it’s perfect to use as a substitute. The thinner it is, the better it’ll work. Put two tablespoons of coffee in the bottom of a glass measuring cup. Pour about a cup of not-quite-boiling water over the grounds, stir once, and wait about 5 minutes (or less or more, depending on how strong you like your coffee). Pour the coffee through the mesh sieve set over a mug. It’s great because you don’t have to throw anything away and you have more control of the final result.

Paper towels

It’s very likely that you have paper towels in your kitchen. In case of emergency, you could use them to brew your coffee. However, we don’t recommend them entirely because hot water could break through them and make a mess. Besides, the chemicals with which they’re produced can leave a bad taste in your drink. Cut them to fit your brewer and be careful. Desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures.

Socks

It might sound unconventional, but it isn’t. It’s one of the oldest methods to filter coffee. You can use a clean cotton sock or a piece of muslin. And the best thing is that you can wash it and reuse it later. Be sure to pick a sock you won’t be wearing anymore though. Just place your coffee grounds in the hose, hold it over a pot and pour the hot water. A handkerchief or a pair of stockings should also work just fine..

Cowboy Coffee

What if we told you there’s a method in which you don’t even have to use a substitute for coffee filters? All you’ll need is coffee grounds, water, and a kettle to boil it. Use two tablespoons of finely ground coffee per 8 ounces of water. First, add the water and then the coffee. After it boils for three minutes, remove it from the heat and let it settle for a couple of minutes. Then, pour a cup of cold water down the spout. This will settle the grinds to the bottom after a minute and then your coffee will be ready to pour.

Have you tried any of these methods? How did they work for you? If forgetting coffee filters is something that happens to you often, you can always change to reusable filters. It’s an eco-friendly option, and you won’t have to deal with that problem any longer. Follow That Coffee Roasters in social media to read more tips and advice to make your life as a coffee lover easier!

Nothing can stand in the way between you and your cup of coffee. Enjoy!

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters