Is Zambian Coffee Delicious? Flavor Profile Characteristics of Zambian Coffee & How to Buy It

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First Attempt at Zambian Coffee

I want to drink all the coffee.

Zambian coffee - full city

Syphon 50A-3

Tried brewing both two-person and three-person portions.

The first brew was quite impressive - the stimulating spiciness of pepper mixed with gentle floral aromas.

The mouthfeel resembles the richness of Yemeni coffee, though slightly milder.

I think if the roast level were reduced to city or city+, it might offer a different experience.

This coffee has no acidity... perhaps friends who don't like acidity might consider it.

When trying to brew a three-person portion, another flavor emerged.

It was a leathery taste... an extremely strange flavor that I didn't quite like.

But my friend loved it....

The above represents my impressions of Zambian coffee - quite memorable.

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It seems this era cannot be without BLOGs.

ZAMBIA

Zambia has long been overlooked by the specialty coffee industry. Some might say it's a chicken-and-egg situation - after all, because specialty coffee buyers have shown little interest in this region's coffee in the past, there has been less investment in improving coffee quality; and due to poor quality, specialty coffee buyers have consequently shown less interest.

Coffee was introduced to Zambia in the 1950s by missionaries who brought Bourbon coffee seeds from Tanzania and Kenya. However, coffee production didn't begin to grow until the late 1970s and early 1980s with funding from the World Bank. Increased pests and diseases led coffee farmers to start growing the hybrid variety Catimor, though this variety is less delicious than Bourbon. This was only a temporary change, as the government later recommended Bourbon again, but there remain numerous Catimor varieties in Zambia.

Zambian coffee exports peaked in 2005/2006 at approximately 6,500 tons, but have since significantly decreased. Some attribute this to price drops, but the lack of long-term financing in the industry is the main reason. Additionally, the country's largest producer ceased operations in 2008 due to loan defaults. Northern Coffee Corp was producing 6,000 tons at the time of closure, accounting for one-third of the national total. By 2012, total coffee production was only 300 tons, though recovery is underway.

Zambian coffee mostly comes from large estates, though small farmers are also supported. These estates are generally well-managed and equipped with modern facilities (because coffee production started relatively late), and may belong to multinational corporations. Small farmers face difficulties in obtaining fertilizers and equipment, and generally, the coffee quality is not high. The lack of water sources and good post-harvest processing facilities further increases the difficulty of producing clean, sweet coffee.

Coffee Flavor Profile

Rare, excellent coffee features distinct floral aromas and pure fruit flavors, with a complex mouthfeel.

Traceability

The best Zambian coffee mostly comes from single estates, though you may need to put in some effort to find it. The country's coffee production is not small, but high-quality coffee is hard to find. Frustratingly, due to coffee varieties and geographical conditions, Zambian coffee actually has enormous potential.

Growing Regions

Population: 14,580,000

2013 production (60kg bags): 10,000 bags

The coffee growing regions in Zambia are not clearly defined and are usually simply divided into southern, central, Copperbelt, and northern regions. Coffee is mainly grown in the northern Muchinga Mountains region (including Isoka/Nakonde and Kasama districts) and near the regional capital Lusaka.

Altitude: 900-2000 meters

Harvest period: April-September

Varieties: Bourbon, Catimor

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473