Mexican Coffee Brand Recommendations | Is Mexican Coffee Good | Mexican Coffee Bean Varieties Introduction

Mexican Organic Coffee Beans

Mexico ranks among the world's largest producers of certified organic coffee. Geography plays a large part in where those beans end up: most of the country's organic crop is shipped north to the United States.

A Short History of the Industry

Coffee reached Mexico in the 19th century by way of Jamaica, and Arabica varieties were the first to be planted. The earliest growing area, Soconusco, sits near the Pacific coast on the border with Guatemala.

By the early 1990s, Chiapas had become the country's most important coffee-producing state, turning out roughly 275,000 tons a year, or about 45% of Mexico's total output.

How the Farms Are Structured

More than two million Mexicans depend on coffee for their livelihood, and 75% of the country's growers work plots smaller than two hectares. Together these smallholders account for roughly 30% of annual production, while larger, more productive farms make up the rest.

Starting in 1988, and especially in Chiapas, the government began encouraging poorer farmers to raise output and expand their plantings as a route to higher income, offering small loans and promoting cultivation on forest land.

Development in Chiapas

Chiapas lies on the high plateau at Mexico's southern tip, sharing a border with Guatemala. In 1991 the National Institute carried out research on systems to protect the rights of local indigenous communities and put forward trade regulations aimed at strengthening safeguards for native residents.

Under these principles, cooperative organizations sprang up across the region's districts.

The OPCAAC Organization

OPCAAC, short for Organizacion de Productores de Cafe de Angel Albino Corzo, is an organic smallholder production group in Chiapas. Founded in 1995, it built farm-management systems that keep production and marketing information open and transparent for its members, and set standards to prevent land from being over-developed.

The group extends small loans, technical training, social activities and other support to its members, while keeping a steady focus on organic agriculture and ecological protection.

OPCAAC pursues sustainable operations, creating value for the local coffee industry and improving farmers' quality of life through fair trade and farming practices that respect the ecosystem. Members cultivate their land with environmentally friendly methods, building economic and social sustainability through regional organization while raising product quality.

Flavor Profile

Expect nutty notes, low acidity, a touch of spice, a creamy body, a slightly cool finish, herbal and plant-like tones, and an overall smooth, mild cup.

Mexican Coffee Recipe

Ingredients:

Espresso: 30 c.c.
Water: 90 c.c.
Fruit sugar: 1 oz.
Egg yolk: 1/2 oz.
Green mint liqueur: 1/3 cup
Fresh cream: as needed
Crushed ice: 60 grams

Preparation:

1. Pull 30 c.c. of espresso and add 90 c.c. of water.

2. Let the mixture from step 1 cool, then set it aside.

3. Add the fruit sugar to the coffee and stir gently with a bar spoon.

4. Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour in the iced coffee.

5. Add the egg yolk and crown it with a layer of fresh cream.

6. Finish with a drizzle of green mint liqueur.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee is a roastery based in Guangzhou. The shop is small, but the bean selection is broad, spanning famous names and harder-to-find lots alike, and the roastery also runs an online store.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Mexico's mild, nutty, low-acid character is what appeals to you, FrontStreet's Brazil Queen Estate is a natural next step. It is a yellow Bourbon, widely regarded as one of the first yellow Bourbon coffees ever identified, grown on the Queen Estate in Brazil. The cup brings creamy, peanut, toasted-bread and sugarcane notes, rich yet clean and sweet, and it performs just as well as a pour-over, in a moka pot, or through an espresso machine.

For a smoother, more classical take on the same gentle style, look for FrontStreet's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1. Its varietal is Typica, the same family that first carried Arabica to Mexico by way of Jamaica, and the cup is famously balanced: mild and soft, with a full, pure aroma instead of a sharp edge.