How to Roast Mexican Coffee Beans and Showcase Their Flavor Profile

Mexican Coffee Growing Regions

Mexican coffee is classified by altitude, with most of the country's coffee used for blended coffees and/or dark roasts. Since the late 18th century, Mexico has been growing coffee, and most of the country's coffee now comes from the southern regions where the continent narrows and curves eastward.

Chiapas Coffee

Grown in the southern state of Chiapas, Chiapas coffee is known for its light, delicate flavor and rich, bright acidity with light to medium body. The hot tropical climate provides excellent growing conditions and produces fairly consistent quality.

Particularly noteworthy is Chiapas coffee grown in the southeastern corner of the mountainous region near the Guatemalan border, often marked with the town name Tapachula. Nearby volcanoes provide fertile soil that improves the coffee's nutrient supply, helping to develop their flavors. Fine Chiapas coffee is said to rival the complexity and strength of better Guatemalan coffees.

Veracruz Coffee

On the Gulf side of Mexico's central mountain range is the state of Veracruz, where most coffee grows in lowlands and is unremarkable.

However, the nearby mountainous region produces the respected Altura Coatepec, named after the town of Coatepec, known for its nutty flavor, light body, and brightness with chocolate undertones.

Oaxaca Coffee

Particularly worth mentioning is coffee from the southern slopes of the central mountain range in the southern state of Oaxaca, called Oaxaca Pluma coffee, known for its light body and mild acidity.

Puebla Coffee

Puebla is one of Mexico's larger states, located east of Mexico City.

Mexican Coffee Plant Varieties

Coffee plant varieties grown in Mexico are mostly Bourbon (Coffea arabica var. bourbon), Caturra (Coffea arabica var. caturra), Maragogype (Coffea arabica var. maragogype), and Mundo Novo (Coffea arabica var. mundo novo).

Mexican Coffee Brands

Mexico is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which makes Mexican coffee brands quite established in the United States and Canada.

SIMPATICO Coffee

Simpatico Coffee (headquartered in Michigan) specializes in Mexican coffee, whose low-acid qualities are appreciated and also an advantage for those who don't like acidity. Although most low-altitude Mexican coffees have lower acidity than their high-altitude counterparts, the fact that this coffee is dark roasted means it's less acidic than medium roasts.

Known for its light body and acidity, it typically has nutty and chocolate notes.

Mexican coffee is classified by altitude, with most of the country's coffee used for blended coffees and/or dark roasts. Since the late 18th century, Mexico has been growing coffee, and most of the country's coffee now comes from the southern regions where the continent narrows and curves eastward.

The excellent conditions of rich ecology, combined with high altitude and suitable temperatures, create the unique flavor of Mexican coffee! The coffee beans perform best with medium-dark roasts, gradually revealing apricot and peach fruit aromas upon first sip, with elegant honey notes gently complementing the finish. Take a sip, and the balanced floral notes leave a long, lingering aftertaste.

Roast Profiles

Light Roast City (Fragrant): Abundant fruit aroma with a slightly wild character. Acidity is not immediately apparent, emerging several seconds after drinking. The mouthfeel is relatively thin, with the aftertaste slowly appearing at the back of the tongue. Has some aroma and flavor reminiscent of Pengfeng tea.

Medium Roast (General B): Fruity aroma from fermentation, with weak fruit acidity. The mouthfeel is smooth and rounded, with a ripe tea flavor.

Dark Roast (General C): Red vegetable aroma with no acidity present. The mouthfeel is clean without any impurities, with the sweet fragrance of grass jelly and wheat.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests hand-brewing parameters for Mexican coffee:

V60/90℃/1:15 ratio/two minutes brewing time