Colombian Coffee Culture, How to Make Colombian Coffee, What Are Colombian Coffee Growing Regions

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Coffee is arguably the world's most common stimulant "drug" and also the most economically valuable beverage. The United States is known as the highest coffee-consuming country, consuming 400 million cups per day. In Finland, the average person drinks four to five cups of coffee per day, creating the highest per capita coffee consumption. Other countries such as Sweden, Italy, Japan, and South Korea are also significant coffee-consuming nations.

Today, Latin America stands as one of the world's important coffee-producing regions, with coffee having become virtually a specialty of Latin America. According to statistics, coffee plantations occupy at least 45% of today's arable land in Latin America. Due to geographical advantages, Latin American coffee beans are mainly exported to the United States, followed by Europe and Asia. Generally speaking, coffee-producing regions are mostly located in developing countries, while coffee-consuming countries are the so-called First World. Although Latin America is a coffee production area, Latin Americans are also coffee lovers. In addition to common Americanos, mochas, lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso, various regions have their own drinking methods and terminology, which has given rise to unique coffee cultures.

In Colombia, 66% of coffee trees are cultivated using modern methods on plantations, while the remainder is grown on traditionally managed small farms. Main varieties include Caturra, Colombia, Tipica, Bourbon, Maragogype, and Tabi. Regardless of scale, more than 500,000 farmers operate farms and cooperatives across 590 municipalities and 14 major coffee-producing regions, with a total of 2 million Colombians depending on coffee cultivation for their livelihood.

In recent years, with the international market's emphasis on coffee quality and demand for specialty coffee, micro-regional production has emerged. Small coffee farmers have been organized to provide micro-batches known as Micro-Regional Selections, where dozens of small farmers contribute their individual harvests to create a consolidated micro-batch for sale. This approach allows for better quality control and provides opportunities to select many excellent specific micro-region farmer coffees through cupping each batch. The coffee flavors are more vibrant, with fresh ripe fruit and caramel aromas, and the combination of acidity and sweetness is more harmonious and balanced.

Within Colombia, coffee consumption has lagged behind global trends for many years but is now soaring, with experts citing the widespread availability of higher-quality coffee as a major factor.

Meanwhile, international entrepreneurs have discovered a curious niche for quality coffee in the Colombian market. Starbucks arrived in 2014. California native Tyler Youngblood started a coffee roasting business in Colombia in 2010. His company, Azahar Coffee Co., opened its first Bogotá coffee shop in a temporary metal container in 2013.

Colombian coffee is highly acclaimed and has gained international recognition through the "Juan Valdez" brand. "Juan Valdez" is a character created by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation - a farmer with a mustache leading a small donkey, appearing very friendly. Colombians most commonly drink "cortado" coffee, with a ratio of half coffee to half milk. Additionally, Colombia's "café chaqueta" is similar to Mexico's "café de olla," where sugar blocks are placed in boiling water, then coffee powder is added, as if dressing the coffee in a sweet coating.

FrontStreet Coffee's Colombian Coffee Roasting Recommendations

Light Roast City: Rare in Colombian coffee, it features plum acidity that is not astringent but bright and delicate. The mouthfeel is smooth without the traditional rich Colombian style, having some resemblance to Costa Rican coffee flavor, with acidity quickly transforming into plum sweetness.

Dark Roast (General C): With raisin aroma as the background foundation, the mouthfeel revolves around fruity maple syrup territory. The sweetness of fruit milk distributes across the palate without feeling particularly heavy. As the coffee temperature gradually decreases, the entire sensation moves toward deeper, more rounded, and sweeter notes.

Colombia hosts a famous green bean competition - the Cup of Excellence in Cauca. FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Cauca bean stood out in this competition. Brewed with 90°C water, it presents pleasant plum acidity with noticeable overall sweet and sour sensations.

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

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