Colombia is known to be the second most bio reserve country in the world. Colombia’s tropical location near the equator means that it’s perfect for growing agricultural products such as bananas, rice, corn and most importantly coffee.
Colombia is the 3rd largest producer of coffee in the world. The region produces almost exclusively Arabica coffee beans. Colombia’s Arabica coffee beans are highly regarded for quality and loved by many coffee connoisseurs.
Flavour Profile
Colombian coffee is renowned for its rich chocolate and caramel flavours and its medium body with fruit and citrus notes. A cup of Colombian coffee offers a smooth and enjoyable cup of coffee that pleases every drinker.
Growing Regions
There are 22 growing regions in Colombia which are divided into 3 main zones: Northern, Central & Southern.
Each zone lends a slightly different flavour profiles.
Coffee beans from northern areas may show more chocolate and nutty characteristics while southern areas show more acidity with hints of citrus. Exploring Colombian coffee alone offers a whole world of flavour experience. Grab some beans from each zone and compare the different flavours.
Climate
Coffee thrives in Colombia due to its mild climate and high rainfall. Another attribute to Colombia’s great tasting beans is because its considered ‘high grown’ with growing regions at 1,200 – 1,800 MASL. The coffee is planted in fertile volcanic soil and predominantly shade grown.
Varietal
Common varietals grown in Colombia are Typica, Bourbon, Caturra and Maragogype.
Processing
The majority of the country’s coffee plantations are made up of small family run farms on steep hilly terrain. The hilly terrain makes machine harvesting next to impossible, so the cherries are all hand-picked. Although laborious, this means that only the highest quality coffee beans are selected.
The coffee cherries are traditionally washed or wet processed. They’re then sun-dried on large patios. More recently a lot of experimentation and other methods of processing have been explored such as honey, natural and different fermentation techniques with some similar to what’s used in the wine industry. This is seeing an even more diverse range of flavours.
Harvest
Due to the large area of land that Colombia occupies, the harvest season varies depending on the region. Most areas are harvested September – January while other regions are April – August. This consistent output helps keep prices relatively stable for Colombian coffee.
A cup of Colombian
Colombian coffee is used in a lot of blends – in fact, we use it in most of our blends. In addition, single origin Colombian has always been a top seller, regardless of your chosen brewing method or preferred drink style.
Colombian coffee is absolutely delicious, we love it as a flat white or brewed using an Aeropress. Check out our YouTube video using the Aeropress for guidance.
A fun activity is lining up a selection of black coffees from different origins (e.g. Colombia, Ethiopia and Kenya). Grab paper and pen and write down the flavours you experience. Research the flavours distinct for each origin and see how they compare to your notes.
Share with us your Karvan coffee adventures by tagging us on instagram @leafbean_machine @karvancoffee
Happy coffee making,
The Leaf Bean Machine team
