A great cup of coffee starts with great coffee beans.
Just like any great recipe, it all comes down to the ingredients you use. The most important factor in a great-tasting brew is choosing the right coffee beans.
The country in which coffee is grown is tantamount to determining the final brew’s taste, acidity, and complexity. The climate, altitude, soil composition, and harvesting procedures all play an important role during the farming process. As with any crop, the care that is put into growing and picking the coffee cherries will also have an effect on the final product.
Coffee is grown all over world, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and each country and region has its own signature profile that you can pick up on. In general, beans from Central America tend to have a fruity and balanced composition, while South America’s beans are known for their medium body and mellow acidity, and Kenya and Ethiopia produce savory-sweet beans unlike anywhere else. The countries listed below will give you an idea of the spectrum of flavor profiles in each region; this is not a definitive list by any means, but rather a starting point to encourage you to explore and discover the unique flavors of each country for yourself.
COFFEE BELT
The best coffee-growing regions that form an imaginary band between the tropics of cancer and capricorn. These areas have ideal conditions for growing coffee beans.
Kenya
Rich full body & floral aroma, citrus and herbal flavor, wine-like acidity
India
Full body, spicy & fruity flavor, smooth, bright acidity
Colombia
Fruity, nutty aroma, caramel flavor, smooth medium body, heavy finish, citrus-like acidity
Ethiopia
Bright fruity flavor, floral aroma, creamy, low acidity, medium body, clean finish
Costa Rica
Medium body, sweet brown sugar aroma, citrus & nutty flavor, crisp acidity
Hawaii
Mild fruity flavor, complex aroma and taste, medium body, bright acidity
Sumatra
Fruity & nutty flavor, rich full body, sweet finish, earthy & woody aroma, low acidity
Brazil
Fruity & nutty aroma, chocolatey flavor, medium-full body, sweet finish, low acidity
Honduras
Vanilla & hazelnut aroma, full body, chocolatey & nutty flavor, sweet finish, balanced acidity
Burundi
Sweet and clean flavor, medium body, brightly acidic, with wild fruity notes
Peru
Fruity aroma, light fruity/floral flavor, clean finish, light-medium body, mild acidity
Mexico
Sweet, nutty flavor, caramel, floral, light body, light acidity
Bolivia
Sweetly aromatic, clean and classic taste, mild acidity, with notes of chocolate and caramel
Vietnam
Sharp, strong, distinctive roasted taste; higher acidity and higher caffeine content
Guatemala
Rich chocolatey flavor, sweet, lightly fruity, medium-full body, bright acidity
Panama
Honey and citrus flavor profile, light body, bright acidity
No Comments