Discover how geography, climate, and culture shape the coffee in your cup
Coffee is grown in over 50 countries around the world, primarily in the 'Coffee Belt' between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Each origin produces beans with distinctive characteristics influenced by factors like altitude, soil composition, climate, and processing methods. Understanding these differences can enhance your appreciation of coffee's incredible diversity.
The birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia produces beans with remarkable diversity. Ethiopian coffees are known for their complex, wine-like acidity, floral aromatics, and fruit-forward flavors.
Colombia's varied microclimates produce coffees with consistent quality and balanced profiles. Colombian beans are prized for their smooth, clean cup with medium body and pleasant acidity.
Guatemala's high-altitude regions and volcanic soil create coffees with distinctive character. Guatemalan beans often exhibit a refined acidity, full body, and complex flavor notes.
As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil offers a wide range of flavor profiles. Brazilian coffees are typically known for their nutty, chocolate notes, low acidity, and full body.
The coffee cherry's fruit is removed before drying, resulting in a clean, bright cup that highlights the bean's inherent characteristics. This method emphasizes clarity, acidity, and the terroir of the coffee.
The entire coffee cherry is dried with the bean inside, allowing fruit sugars to impart their flavors. This traditional method produces coffees with enhanced body, sweetness, and fruit-forward profiles.
A hybrid method where some fruit mucilage remains on the bean during drying. The result is a cup with some of the fruity sweetness of naturals but with more clarity and acidity than fully natural processed coffees.
Coffee grown at higher elevations typically develops more complex acidity and flavor due to slower maturation. High-altitude beans are often denser and more nuanced.
Volcanic soils rich in minerals often produce distinctive coffees. The nutrients available in the soil directly influence the development of the coffee plant and its beans.
Temperature, rainfall patterns, and humidity all affect how coffee cherries develop. Ideal conditions include moderate temperatures with distinct wet and dry seasons.
Different varieties of the coffee plant (like Bourbon, Typica, Gesha) have inherent flavor characteristics, much like different grape varieties in wine.
The future of great coffee depends on sustainable farming practices and fair compensation for producers. Climate change, economic pressures, and social challenges all threaten coffee-growing communities around the world.
Learn About Our Sustainability InitiativesJoin us for origin-focused coffee tastings at our café, where you can experience the distinctive flavors of different coffee-growing regions side by side.
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