Coffee In Latin America And The Caribbean

Coffee is produced in many parts of the globe in overTarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia, and Alajuela and it is
seventy countries including parts of East Africa, India,thought that the height at which the coffee is grown
Indonesia and Vietnam (second largest producer in themay have more influence on the flavour than actual
world), but here we're going to concentrate on coffeearea or estate.
in Latin America and the Caribbean.Major Player
Most Like it BlackColombia produces about 10% of the world's coffee,
Apparently most coffee drinkers in Mexico take itwhich can vary in flavour from mild and flavoursome
black and believe that the best black coffee comesto positively uninteresting.
from their country. I'm sure the natives of many otherThe better coffees are produced on the slopes of the
countries would dispute that and probably the story iscentral and eastern mountain ranges in areas such as
apocryphal.Nariño State. Bucaramanga (after the town)
Mexico produces approximately 3.5% of the world'sproduces rich flavoured coffee with low acidity and full
coffee and the greatest concentration of coffeebody said to resemble that grown in Sumatra. The
growing here is in the south of the country but theBogota (after the capital city), is believed to be one of
types are divided into lowland and Altura (high), i.e.the most high-grade blends is lower in acidity than the
grown in mountainous country.notable Medellin but is still flavoursome.
Lowland coffee is mainly grown in Vera Cruz State,Much of the coffees is produced by small private
on the Gulf of Mexico, east of the central mountaingrowers then processed by the Colombian Coffee
range, whereas Altura Coatepec, a very popularFederation. It is this "cooperative" coffee which can
coffee, is grown in the mountains near Coatepec city.vary somewhat in quality.
Other mountain-grown coffees worthy of note fromCoffee in the Caribbean
Vera Cruz State are Altura Orizaba and AlturaJamaica
Huatusco.Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is world-renowned for
In Chiapas State, situated in the south east of Mexicoits smoothness and rich flavour. Unfortunately, supply is
near the border with Guatemala, coffees are alsoshort and consequently prices are high. Other
grown in the mountains. The best known of these isJamaican coffees are undistinguished and the "Blue
Tapachula, named after the town, which has aMountain Style" coffees almost certainly contain
medium light body and soft flavour.coffee grown at much lower altitudes and indeed, may
Oaxaca State is another prolific producer.not contain any coffee grown in Jamaica at all.
Simply the BestLow Flyer
Arguably, Guatemala produces the most interestingHaiti produces a very tiny percentage of the world's
tasting coffees in the world, being slightly spicy orcoffee but what it does produce has a pleasant
smoky on top of a somewhat acidic base.softness and sweetness. This is attributed to the low
Coffee growing areas include Antigua (the formeraltitudes at which it is grown, the high rainfall and the
capital of Guatemala) and Atitlan, in the centralvolcanic soil of the coffee growing area.
highlands, where the coffee tends to be rich and ofNearly Jamaican?
spicy acidity in flavour and well-bodied, whereas theThe Dominican Republic produces only a small amount
coffees grown in the mountains on the Pacific ormore coffee than Haiti but experts are comparing it
Caribbean sides are less acidic and more fruity.with the richness and acidity of that grown at high
Rich and Robustaltitudes with that of the Jamaican Blue Mountains.
Of all the coffees in Central America, those of CostaLow grown coffees are softer and less acidic.
Rica are amongst the most favoured, being full-bodiedThere are many other countries in this region which
with a robustly acidic flavour. Most of the coffee heregrow coffee but we only have time here to cover a
is grown around the area of the capital, San Jose, thesmall cross-section.
most well-known districts being San Marcos de