Why Colombian Coffee is Popular and How It's Grown and Harvested

Colombian Coffee: A World-Favorite Brew

Colombia ships millions of bags of the finest coffee beans abroad each year. But why does the world have such a love affair with Colombian coffee? Here, FrontStreet Coffee explains how Colombia's perfect coffee-growing climate, combined with world-class Arabica coffee beans, work together to create the perfect cup of coffee.

Colombian coffee is renowned worldwide for its flavor and unmistakably smooth, rich aroma. This perhaps explains why it has been exporting coffee for nearly 200 years, and for most of that time, it has been our main export product. Geography is one factor. Coffee grows best in volcanic soil, at altitudes between 1,200 and 1,800 meters, in places without frost but with about 80 inches of rainfall annually. Colombian coffee checks all these boxes.

Where is Colombian Coffee Produced?

Colombia's coffee region or "eje cafetero" (Coffee Cultural Landscape) is located in the center of the country and produces most of the coffee. It spans the coffee-growing areas of Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda, and northern Valle. But the coffee belt doesn't get all the glory—each bean's flavor varies by region. The conditions in Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Boyacá, and northern Tolima are similar to the Coffee Cultural Landscape and have harvests year-round. Coffee grown in warmer, more northern, lower-altitude areas—such as the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Serranía del Perijá, Casanare, Santander, and northern Santander—has lower acidity and a fuller body. Meanwhile, beans from the southernmost regions of Nariño, Cauca, Huila, and southern Tolima grow at higher altitudes, closer to the equator, resulting in higher acidity and sweetness. Colombia essentially has beans suitable for every taste.

What Makes Colombian Coffee Special?

This is another secret to its success. The world's most important coffee bush varieties are Arabica and Robusta, and everyone knows Arabica tastes best (perhaps a bit biased, but the clue is in the name—Robusta is cheaper, contains more caffeine, and has higher yields). Colombian coffee is 100% Arabica.

How is Colombian Coffee Grown and Harvested?

The harvesting method also changes the game. Some countries prefer strip picking, which means pulling all coffee cherries from the branches at once, usually with machines. In mountainous Colombia, the standard is "cherry picking" or selecting only fully ripe cherries. Coffee pickers check a tree about every 10 days, and a good picker can harvest up to 90 kilograms of ripe red cherries daily—about 18 kilograms of coffee beans. Just thinking about it is enough to make one thirsty. It's time for a cup of coffee!

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