How is Bolivia Java Coffee? Bolivia Java Coffee Flavor Characteristics and Description

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Among the numerous coffee-producing regions, if one were to identify a romantic, beautiful, remote, and dangerous dream territory, it would undoubtedly be Bolivia!

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, a landlocked nation bordering Brazil and Colombia. While it possesses great potential as a coffee-exporting country, its production has consistently been quite scarce. Despite excellent conditions for coffee cultivation, the challenges are extremely formidable, resulting in an exceptionally rich agricultural history established on very, very difficult land.

Coffee cultivation in Bolivia can be traced back to 1880, when all production was basically associated with owners of some large farms north of La Paz. In 1991, the government promoted a plan for indigenous people to engage in coffee cultivation, but quality was not emphasized. This was due to Bolivia's lagging economic development and infrastructure, as it remains the poorest country in South America today. Additionally, Bolivia's originally advantageous and varied terrain became a key factor detrimental to coffee processing, transportation, and quality due to poor infrastructure. Under government encouragement to cultivate coca leaves—which yield four times the profit of coffee—many farmers abandoned coffee cultivation and even completely gave up their farms.

In the early 2000s, the United States once provided strong support to Bolivia's agriculture. However, as the Bolivian government later supported coca cultivation, relations with the United States deteriorated, with coffee farmers suffering the most. Later, as Bolivia resumed limited anti-drug operations, many programs were restarted to assist coffee farmers. For instance, the Cup of Excellence (COE) was held with support from USAID. In 2013, when leaf rust disease struck, Bolivia lost 50% of its coffee production in just that year. Combined with the government's coca leaf policy and leaf rust disease, Bolivia's coffee production has decreased by 70% over the past decade, reducing it to a minor coffee-producing nation.

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, a landlocked nation bordering Brazil and Colombia. While it possesses great potential as a coffee-exporting country, its production has consistently been quite scarce. Despite excellent conditions for coffee cultivation, the challenges are extremely formidable, resulting in an exceptionally rich agricultural history established on very, very difficult land.

Bolivia's coffee production is predominantly based on a smallholder farming system, with approximately 23,000 small farms ranging from 2-9 hectares across the country. A particularly distinctive feature is that about 40% of Bolivia's coffee culture is oriented toward domestic consumption. Moreover, nearly all cultivation in Bolivia is done using organic methods.

The Rodriguez Family

Fifteen years ago, Pedro recognized the potential of Bolivian specialty coffee. Over the past decade, he has established an enterprise called Agricafe, which is dedicated to building long-term relationships with producers based on mutual trust and benefit.

Today, Pedro Rodriguez continues his efforts to advance the production and quality of Bolivian specialty coffee, leading his children in this mission.

To showcase the delicious flavors that Bolivian coffee can create, the Rodriguez family has cultivated quite special varieties: Geisha and Java.

Agricafe

Agricafe exports high-quality, single-origin, and small-batch produced micro-lots. Most come from the Yungas and Santa Cruz regions, primarily exported to North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Agricafe specializes in South American specialty coffee and was founded in 1986 when Pedro Rodriguez decided to pursue his passion for agriculture.

Agricafe relies on building close relationships with producers to create exceptional coffee. With the help of international experts, Agricafe has introduced innovative educational programs and modern agricultural practices to Bolivia, aiming to further improve quality.

Coffee production in Bolivia can be traced back to the 1880s. Initially, large landowners were the only coffee producers, but this changed in 1991. Bolivia's coffee production has always been small, and exports have continued to decline over the past decade. For example, in 2010, the country exported approximately 70,000 bags of coffee, while in 2017, it only exported 22,000 bags.

Agricafe has taken on the responsibility of reversing this trend, allowing coffee producers to receive reasonable compensation for their hard work. To make a change, Agricafe has launched two initiatives: "The Buena Vista Project" and "Sol de la Manana Program." Both projects are dedicated to supporting coffee-growing communities and sharing their knowledge, investing in smallholders to improve coffee quality, maintaining transparency at every stage of production, and developing sustainable models and sustainable farms.

FrontStreet Coffee will roast Bolivian Java variety coffee to a light roast to preserve the fruitiness of these beans:

FrontStreet Coffee's cupping notes: The dry aroma presents hazelnut fragrance. Upon tasting, it reveals the sweetness of cream, hazelnut, and almond, along with the sweet and sour notes of citrus and tropical fruits, carrying a fermented wine-like aroma.

Brewing Recommendations

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Parameters: V60/1:15/89°C/Grind size BG 5R (Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve passing rate 58%)/Brewing time 1'56"

The initial taste reveals distinct sweet and sour notes of citrus, lime, and hawthorn, with a fruity chocolate and vanilla cream aftertaste. As the temperature decreases, sweet orange acidity emerges. When cooled, it presents a subtle maple sweetness and lingering notes of jasmine tea and rose tea, with a long-lasting sucrose sweet aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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