The Coffee of South America
- By Bobby Castro
- Published 11/17/2011
- Coffee
- Unrated
The origin of coffee is cloaked in lore but when traders brought this legendary bean from Africa to Europe to the Far East and eventually to the Americas. Nowadays, Latin American countries produce the best coffee which is consumed by connoisseurs the world over.
Scientifically, there are two types of coffee beans produced in South America. These are the Arabica and the Robusta. The plants that produce the coffee beans thrive in warm and humid climates, which are the norm in South America. The difference in the flavors of the beams comes from the local conditions, such as the soil, the altitude, climate and other factors in the coffee processing. The following are the countries of South America that produce this wonderful beverage loved by many from all over the world.
Brazil. Brazil currently produces about a third of the world's Arabica and Robusta. The best coffee from the country hails from Santos province, where the first coffee plants in Brazil came through its ports. Most noted coffee blends are the Bourbon Santos, where the beans are harvested from the plant's first four years. It is known as the highest quality coffee beans in the world. Beans culled after the fourth year of the plant is still top quality, but not as rich as the beans culled from the first four years.
Colombia. Colombian coffee is known as a full bodied and flavorful blend. The country produces a little over twelve percent of the world's supply. The location of the coffee plantation determines the flavor and richn
ess of the coffee, making for a wide variety of choices of the Arabica and Robusta in the country. If the coffee is harvested from Medellin, Armenia and Manizales, known as MAM to the coffee business, then expect a heavy, rich and fine body with a balanced acidity. If the coffee hails from Bogota or Bucaramanga, then expect the coffee to be heavy and rich with low acidity. The country's prime coffee is called the Supremo and when blended with the Extra, then the result would be the Excelso, a rich fine blend famed in Colombia and the world over.
Venezuela. The country produces about one percent of the world's supply but most of it is consumed domestically. The kind of coffee depends on its source. If the coffee comes from Colombia, Cucuta, Merida, Trujillo and Tachira, then most often this is known as Cafe Imperial. If the coffee comes from La Guiara, Merida, Cucuta and Tachira, then the blend is known as Caracas. The finest kind of Caracas is called lavado fino.
Peru. While their coffee industry is still in its infancy compared to its South American neighbors. Most of plantations are found along the Apurimac River and the Chanchamayo and Urubamba valleys of the country.
Ecuador. Similar to Peru, Ecuador has a small coffee industry that is often consumed domestically. The characteristic of Ecuadorian coffee is thin to medium in body with high acidic content.
Knowing that South America is now the coffee cauldron of the world, the next time you order coffee, do find out where your coffee is grown and blended. Don't be surprised that your favorite beverage may just hail from a plantation in South America.
Scientifically, there are two types of coffee beans produced in South America. These are the Arabica and the Robusta. The plants that produce the coffee beans thrive in warm and humid climates, which are the norm in South America. The difference in the flavors of the beams comes from the local conditions, such as the soil, the altitude, climate and other factors in the coffee processing. The following are the countries of South America that produce this wonderful beverage loved by many from all over the world.
Brazil. Brazil currently produces about a third of the world's Arabica and Robusta. The best coffee from the country hails from Santos province, where the first coffee plants in Brazil came through its ports. Most noted coffee blends are the Bourbon Santos, where the beans are harvested from the plant's first four years. It is known as the highest quality coffee beans in the world. Beans culled after the fourth year of the plant is still top quality, but not as rich as the beans culled from the first four years.
Colombia. Colombian coffee is known as a full bodied and flavorful blend. The country produces a little over twelve percent of the world's supply. The location of the coffee plantation determines the flavor and richn
Venezuela. The country produces about one percent of the world's supply but most of it is consumed domestically. The kind of coffee depends on its source. If the coffee comes from Colombia, Cucuta, Merida, Trujillo and Tachira, then most often this is known as Cafe Imperial. If the coffee comes from La Guiara, Merida, Cucuta and Tachira, then the blend is known as Caracas. The finest kind of Caracas is called lavado fino.
Peru. While their coffee industry is still in its infancy compared to its South American neighbors. Most of plantations are found along the Apurimac River and the Chanchamayo and Urubamba valleys of the country.
Ecuador. Similar to Peru, Ecuador has a small coffee industry that is often consumed domestically. The characteristic of Ecuadorian coffee is thin to medium in body with high acidic content.
Knowing that South America is now the coffee cauldron of the world, the next time you order coffee, do find out where your coffee is grown and blended. Don't be surprised that your favorite beverage may just hail from a plantation in South America.
Bobby Castro
Bobby Castro is the online editor at Gringos, where he has published a number of articles about life in South America and many other topics.
View all articles by Bobby Castro