Coffee: Snapshot of Colombia
As you sip your morning cup of coffee and enjoy the flavorful, hot beverage gliding down your throat do you ever wonder about the origin of the coffee you’re enjoying? Are you curious about the story of the coffee farmers who cultivated the coffee crop? I know I am! It is amazing that coffee is grown in so many different countries around the world. Each coffee producing country has its’ own coffee story and interesting facts. Over the next few months we will look at various coffee producing countries, and provide a quick snapshot so you can learn about the coffee industry from your favorite origin. This month we are taking a glance at the coffee producing country of Colombia.
Colombia is country that is known worldwide for producing coffee. In fact, Colombia produces about 12% of coffee in the world. (Coffee Research Website) Coffee is grown by more than 500,000 Colombian families stretching from the Ecuador border in the South, up to the Caribbean Sea border in the North. Most of these families grow coffee on small plots of about 5 acres. The small farm size makes the coffee growing process a family oriented activity. Coffee producing families in Colombia are no stranger to hard work. A coffee producing family has an average production of around 2,600 pounds of green coffee every year. That equals about 5.2 million coffee cherries! The small farmer not only patiently waits for the coffee cherries to mature, but they also have to wash, dry and sort those 5 million cherries! Whew, all that work makes you appreciate your morning cup of coffee more deeply.
In general, coffees from Colombia are described as “mild, clean cup with a medium to high acidity and body.” When it comes to flavor, Colombia coffees can vary from nutty, fruity, sweet, herbal and even chocolaty characteristics depending on the region. Flavor profiles can be affected by so many factors including region, soil and the processing techniques.
If you would like to learn more about the coffees of Colombia, visit http://www.cafedecolombia.com/particulares/en/
Some fun facts about the country of Colombia for your reading pleasure-
- “Colombia produces 12% of the world’s coffee.” (Coffee Research)
- “Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.” (National Geographic)
- Colombia has a coffee amusement park- The National Coffee Park. Some features of this park are a walking trail to touch all the varieties of coffee plants grown in Colombia, The Coffee Shows and of course rollercoasters.” (Squidoo)
- “Black coffee is called tinto in Colombia.” (Colombia Travel)