Mini Guide: Colombian Coffee
All aboard explorers, take a tiny tour with us.
A Snapshot:
Colombian Coffee is the result of hard work from hundreds of thousands of producers across a diverse landscape.
The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) is a non-profit business that promotes the production and exportation of Colombian coffee to achieve its mission of improving the quality of life of Colombia's coffee growers.It currently represents more than 500,000 producers, most of whom are small family owned farms that agree to self-imposed, carefully-followed quality control standards.
Colombia’s 22 coffee growing regions can be primarily divided into the north, central, and south. The central portion of the country - the Eje Cafetero (Coffee Axis) - produces the majority, while the north and the south provide favorable soil for organic coffee farming.
Did you know..
..this is one of only two coffee-producing countries hosting two main harvests per year, with some areas producing an additional small harvest or fly crop 6 months later (called the mitica). Two large mountain ranges and wind from the Pacific create vast microclimates, maturing coffees in different stages and impacting harvest times and taste profiles.
That means a diverse selection of beans hail from this country - something to please any palate, all year long.
Colombian Coffees Abbreviated*
It is important to note that flavor is heavily dependent on many variables pre and post-harvest. Any coffee can be impacted by social and economic factors, natural resources, environmental changes, and several production decisions at the farm or mill level, yielding a totally unique profile! Taste and flavor is then manipulated by the roaster, barista, and home brewer - sometimes in negative ways.
NORTHERN
Ex: La Guajira, Magdalena, Cesar, Santander, Norte de Santander
Higher temperatures and lower altitudes lend to offerings with full body, less snappy acidity, and flavor notes of chocolate and nuts.
CENTRAL
Ex: Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Cundinamarca, North Tolima
Known for producing those easy-drinking breakfast-blend types with fruitiness, soft nuttiness, sweetness, medium-high body, and low acidity.
Our Tolima based roast gives us breakfast blend vibes, for sure.
On the other side of the flavor spectrum, we have personally sourced, roasted, and enjoyed incredibly sweet, acidic, and wildly fruity coffees from Antioquia which underwent experimental post-harvest processing. Try the boozy, rapsberry-like La Reserva or the creamy, orange-like, refresher La Ventolera.
SOUTH
Ex. Nariño, Cauca, Quila
The southwestern departments tend to have higher altitude farms, contributing to slower cherry maturation and more complex acidity, citrus flavors, and heightened floral notes in the profile. Generally speaking, the volcanic soil, high altitude, and equatorial proximity deliver a clean, smooth, balanced taste and full aroma.
