Sweet, acidic Colombian coffee accounts for 16% of all the coffee distributed throughout the world, with over a third of it being sent to the US. What makes us crave the Colombian bean? How did its presence become so prominent in our coffee shops and grocery stores? Turns out, Colombians take their coffee to new heights (literally).
While coffee, in and of itself, is an incredibly labor-intensive crop, Colombia cranks it up a notch. Coffee grows best at elevations from 3,300 to 6,300 feet, and Colombia tends to cultivate it at the higher end of the spectrum. You’ll find most coffee farms spread across 2.2 million acres along the slopes of the Andes and in the Colombian highlands, grown at about 6,000 feet! Growing at this high altitude is one of the most distinguishing factors about Colombian coffee, along with its rich volcanic soil and predominantly shade-grown cultivation.
Growing the beans at this higher altitude has a significant impact on the coffee beans. This is because the higher the altitude, the faster the water drains, resulting in a more acidic flavor. Not only that, but the growing conditions at higher altitudes are challenging for the beans, resulting in slower maturation. Since maturation spans over a greater length of time, it allows the coffee to develop more complex flavors, allowing the natural sweetness to come through.
After the bean is finally ready to be harvested, all the coffee farmers come in, harvest, and take care of post-harvesting painstakingly by hand. The post-harvest is perhaps one of the most important steps for the Colombian coffee bean. The beans are cleaned immediately to prevent mucilage from permeating them. Mucilage is the gummy secretion present in most plants, including coffee, covering the outside of the coffee bean. If the bean is not cleaned immediately, the mucilage would start impacting the flavor, making it even sweeter than it was before.
As the farmers need to attend to each coffee plant, this results in both a higher quality bean and the employment of small-scale farms. This means that essentially all of the coffee that comes from Colombia was grown, harvested, and post-harvest cared for by small, family-owned and operated businesses. So, from unique growing conditions to the hands-on care and attention each bean receives, you know you’re sipping quality when you're drinking Colombian coffee.
Sources:
Kline, Harvey F. , Garavito, Clemente , Gilmore, Robert Louis , McGreevey, William Paul and Parsons, James J.. "Colombia". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Jan. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia. Accessed 29 January 2024.
Knowledge at Wharton Staff. “Coffee in Colombia: Waking up to an Opportunity.” Knowledge at Wharton, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, 2 Jan. 2013, knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/coffee-in-colombia-waking-up-to-an-opportunity/.
“The Colombian Coffee Triangle - the Past and Future of Colombia’s Most.” Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters, 2 Sept. 2021, hermanoscoffeeroasters.com/blogs/blog/colombian-coffee-triangle-major-coffee-producing-regions.
