Cultivation of Low-Yield Organic Coffee Beans in Ecuador and Flavor Characteristics of Ecuadorian Coffee Beans

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Ecuadorian Organic Coffee Bean Cultivation and Flavor Characteristics

What are the cultivation conditions for low-production Ecuadorian organic coffee beans? And what are the flavor characteristics of Ecuadorian coffee beans?

Ecuador is a South American country with islands. It has a long history of coffee cultivation, dating back to the early 19th century. In Ecuador, coffee has never been listed as a major economic source compared to bananas, oil, and shrimp. However, the mountainous regions within the country have sufficient altitude, microclimate variations, and ideal soil quality—making it a perfect location for producing great coffee! For this reason, various organic associations have entered Ecuador, providing professional technical education, assisting in building new mid-stage processing equipment, and insisting on high standards of organic production. It's considered an "attractive" introductory bean among Taiwanese coffee enthusiasts.

Located between Colombia and Peru, with the equator passing through it, Ecuador is one of the few South American countries that produces both Arabica and Robusta coffee. In fact, "Ecuador" means "equator" in Spanish. Due to the use of traditional harvesting and processing methods, Ecuadorian coffee has not been listed among specialty coffees, which is why it's generally less commonly seen and more unfamiliar. Ecuador faces the Pacific Ocean, and about 900 kilometers west of its coast, near the equator at 90 degrees west longitude, lies the Galapagos Islands, also its territory, also known as Colon Island, which produces the famous Galapagos coffee. To protect the natural ecosystem, the Ecuadorian government has designated the islands as a national park and prohibits the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemical preparations. Therefore, Galapagos Islands coffee is recognized as organic coffee. The flavor of Galapagos Islands coffee is relatively balanced and neutral, with moderate body, a noticeable but pleasant acidity, and a special aroma. However, because it's rarely seen on the market, not many people discuss this coffee.

The equator-passing Ecuador is one of the few South American countries that produces both Arabica and Robusta coffee. Hacienda El Tundo grows coffee at an altitude of 2100 meters. The excellent growing environment allows for one of the two major native varieties of ancient coffee beans—Typica—to exhibit rich and solid dark berry, blackberry, blackcurrant, and grape flavors when sipped. It has fresh citrus flavors, the sweetness of cranberries and plums, cherry aroma, overall bright acidity, juiciness, solidity, and rich layering.

Ecuador's coffee cultivation area reaches 305,000 hectares, of which Arabica coffee accounts for 68% and Robusta coffee accounts for 32%. Coffee, cocoa, and bananas are Ecuador's three major traditional crops. They not only provide income for farmers but also bring foreign exchange to the country and are important crops that provide employment and stabilize society. Due to the crash in international coffee prices around 2000, Ecuador's coffee cultivation gradually shrank, and its share in world coffee production also gradually declined. By 2009, Ecuador's coffee production accounted for only one percent of the world's total. However, Ecuador's coffee export volume has gradually increased, mainly because Ecuador's instant coffee processing industry is well-developed. Besides domestic coffee production, it still imports foreign coffee for processing and re-export. Ecuador's coffee export value has increased year by year since 2002, reaching over $170 million in coffee-related product exports in 2010. About 85% of Ecuador's coffee plantations are operated by small farmers who lack technical guidance, have old tree varieties that are mostly not updated, resulting in very low average yields and difficulty maintaining quality.

Due to the large number of small farmers, many of whom have not joined coffee associations, the actual production of Ecuadorian coffee is difficult to grasp. The total production figures compiled by the National Coffee Association (COFENAC) often hardly reflect actual production, and there have been interesting situations where export volume exceeds production volume. According to statistics from Ecuador's Export Promotion and Investment Bureau, the country's total export volume in 2010 was about 40,955 metric tons. By weight, 45% of this was processed coffee (commonly known as industrial coffee, namely extracted concentrate or instant coffee), and 55% was coffee beans. However, if calculated by value, industrial coffee exports accounted for 65%, while coffee beans only accounted for 35%, showing the importance of the coffee processing industry to Ecuador's coffee sector. Ecuador's coffee plantation areas are generally not large, with about 80% of coffee farmers having cultivation areas below 5 hectares, 13% between 5 to 10 hectares, and only 7% having cultivation areas above 10 hectares. According to statistics, among the country's approximately 300,000 hectares of cultivation area, 20% of coffee plantation land is illegally occupied. According to data from Ecuador's Coffee Association, Ecuador's most important coffee-producing region is in MANABI Province.

Flavor Profile

Dry aroma: Special citrus and dark berry notes. When sipped, it presents rich and solid dark berries, blackberries, blackcurrants, and grapes, fresh citrus flavors, the sweetness of cranberries and plums, cherry aroma, overall bright acidity, juiciness, solidity, and rich layering.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Filter: Hario V60
Water Temperature: 90 degrees
Grind Size: Fujisaki 3.5
Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g of coffee. First infusion with 25g of water, steam for 25 seconds. Second infusion to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue infusing slowly until reaching 225g. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis:

Adopting a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the flavors in the front, middle, and back stages of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and faster drainage speed, pausing during water infusion can extend the extraction time.

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