While coffee was a luxury a few thousand years ago, today we can get it virtually anywhere: at grocery stores, convenience stores, cafes, restaurants. There is usually a pot (of varying quality) at work, at meetings, in hotel lobbies. We are surrounded by the aroma of coffee – but where does it come from? Before we get it ground and packaged in the store or brewed for us in a coffee shop, where do the actual beans come from? Your first guess is probably South America – and you’re right. But coffee originated in Arabia and Africa, and it is grown in more than 50 countries worldwide.
To stray from coffee for a moment: vineyards used to be reserved for climates like California, Italy, or France. Today, we are seeing vineyards in such unlikely places as Vermont and New Hampshire. Do coffee plants grow virtually anywhere as it seems grapes can? Yes and no. Yes, they are grown in a wide variety of areas, but no, they do not grow in every climate. The best beans are grown at high altitudes and in tropical climates. Here, the soil is rich and ready to produce. Typically, you will find the best coffee growing regions are along the Equatorial zone, lying between 25 degrees North and 30 degrees South.
Hot Coffee Spots
Here are some of the big coffee producers:
• The Caribbean
• Hawaii
• Mexico
• Puerto Rico
• Guatemala
• Costa Rica
• Columbia
• Brazil
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• The Ivory Coast
• Yemen
• Indonesia
• Vietnam
Why does it matter where your coffee comes from?
It may not if you just want a quick cup on the way to work. But if you really enjoy a particular type of coffee or a particular roast and brew, it is interesting to know where those beans are grown. Different locales produce different flavor in the beans. In Mexico, for instance, in which most coffee is grown on small farms rather than large plantations, the beans produce a very deep flavor that can be sharp. It is best suited for dark roasts or blends.
Coffee beans from Guatemala, on the other hand, are grown in rich volcanic soil. The coffee tends to be rich, medium-to-full bodied, and a great complexity. Depending on the exact region in which the coffee is grown, there is a spicy or chocolate tone to the brews.
Where does your coffee come from?
It likely comes from one of the two largest coffee producers, Brazil and Columbia. If you picture Juan Valdez and his donkey when you think of coffee, there is a reason why. Columbia is famous for its coffee and produces more than any other country besides Brazil. Columbia’s very rugged landscape makes it perfect for growing coffee, but it makes it hard to transport. Today, Jeeps are used to haul the harvest in – as are donkeys and mules, so your mental image is right on track. The coffee that results from Columbia’s fertile land tends to be mild and balanced. The highest grade, Columbian Supremo, is very delicate and sweet.
Brazil is serious about coffee. There are immense plantations covering the landscape, and the coffee industry is a huge employer. The coffee tends to be mild, clear, sweet, and medium-bodied, with variations depending on the specific region in which it is grown. Arabica and robusta beans are grown here, and this is a major source of America’s coffee. You might even see this kind of coffee in those gourmet coffee gift baskets you get for your birthday or as a Christmas gift.
Your coffee certainly takes a circuitous route to your cup. Today, we are fortunate because we can taste a wide variety of coffees, whether they are from South America or Africa. Try a new blend and see what the rest of the world has to offer! /DSHC
