Latin American Coffee: From North to South Quality Abound

Fine Latin American coffee is available to the adventurous coffee drinker from every corner of the continent. In fact, Latin America offers many wonderful opportunities if you are looking to buy gourmet coffee beans, from Central American republics, such as Costa Rica or Guatemala; from the Caribbean Islands of Jamaica; or from South American Coffee Kings of Colombia or Brazil.

If you've looked into the coffee jar on the shelf, or the bag of coffee beans in the cupboard, you'll likely see that some (or most?) of the beans come from this region of the world. And it's home to arguably the best coffee beans in the whole world.

From the Indies to the Incas: Home of the Coffee

Latin American beans generally comprise coffee from South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands such as Jamaica and Haiti. All of these areas are well known for their mountainous slopes and volcanic soils where coffee farms flourish. And the new craze for organic coffee has benefited these countries significantly.

Latin American coffee can be generally characterized by a light body, medium to sharp acidity and a distinctive bright flavor. They are considered by many connoisseurs to be some of the best coffee you can buy.

I. South America: Top Quality Coffees

South America boasts great Latin American coffee growing areas, including Columbia, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia. The first two names on the list are well known, but after them some other countries also offer delicious and less well-known beans that are worth trying, if you can find them!

Columbia or Colombia? It's all about the coffee!

Most Americans are more familiar with Columbian coffee because of that part of the industry’s intensive media campaign over the years. Columbian beans generally make coffee with a full body, rich flavor and medium acidity.

From the time the trees are planted to when Colombian coffee beans are harvested, there are extensive processing steps and intensive standards. These resulting coffee beans have become recognized throughout the world for the sheer quality.

But there are many, many more regions that grow fine and flavorful Latin American coffee but are less well known than Columbia.

Brazil Blends: Harmony and Flair

Brazil grows many remarkable coffees but the topnotch Bourbon Santos we reckon is its finest offering. Picked in the first four years of growth, the beans are small but full of smooth, rich and moderately acidic flavor.

While Bourbon Santos is the coffee preferred by commercial buyers, there are several other estates that produce superb Brazil coffee. Your taste buds may find the crops of other estates better than Santos; each of us is different so be adventurous and try offerings from several areas.

Venezuala Blends

Venezuela is known for its low acid coffee that is perfect for blends. This is not to say it’s bad coffee -- on the contrary, its light richness and bold body makes it complementary for custom blends. Meridas is considered the best coffee in this Latin American country.

Bolivia Brews

Bolivia produces heavy-bodied, spicy coffee that is quite extraordinary. The beans are grown mostly on small farms that are more than a mile above sea level on steeply pitched slopes. The organic coffee industry is big in Bolivia.

And Peru, too

Peru is another big South American coffee producer, notable for its Chanchamayo mild and light brew that exudes both coffee flavors and aromas. You will often find it used to provide a base coffee selection for other more flavor intense coffees and is blended with darker roasted coffee beans.

The Latin American coffee growing regions also include the central Americas, and the Caribbean Islands. So we'll take a look at these now.

II. Central America: Central to Coffee Production

Central America also produces some fine coffees. Some of these names may already be familiar to you, especially Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico. But how about El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Ecuador? These are important countries, too, as quality producers of Latin American coffee:

Costa Rica in particular is famous for its full bodied, robust and rich coffee, grown mostly near San Jose city. You will find the four most famous coffees in Costa Rica are all named after the regions in which they are cultivated - Alajuela, Heredia, San Marcos de Tarrazu, and lastly, Tres Rios. Altitude determines flavor in this country with the best beans growing above 3900 feet.

Guatemala also has some very distinctively flavored coffees. Its central highlands are 4500 feet above sea level, ideal for growing beans with a rich, spicy/smoky flavor. They have a mild and pleasing acidity and medium to full body.

While Mexico produces pleasant, rather ordinary beans that are grown in the mountains of the south. They make a pleasant, flavorful cup of coffee that is ideal for everyday drinking. When ground for espresso, most Mexican beans make a mildly acidic and very flavorful cup.

III. Caribbean Coffee: The Tastes of the Islands

Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica all cultivate coffee, too.

The premium beans that constitute Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee which is grown at between 3~5,000 feet are graded into one of five lots. These beans are quite mild in flavor, nor are they bitter.

Because of their scarcity and top quality, prices can be quite expensive. Meaning that the bag of 'blue mountain coffee' on your shelf is, at best, a blend of other South American coffee beans.

Cuba is famous for its specialty 'Cuban coffee', a blend of espresso and sugar that makes a variety of great tasting drinks, but cultivates coffee beans that aren't available in the US markets at the moment.

In fact, Cuba has a long history of growing but in recent years, there has been in decline in production, exports and quality since the revolution.

In Haiti, it's a similar story. But coffee has been cultivated here since at least 1730's. Though the early days of the cultivation exploited slaves and fomented revolution in Haiti, coffee is still grown in Haiti to this day.

In recent years, Haitian Bleu has tried to recreate the quality and fame of Haiti's early coffee days. With a rich and slightly sweet flavor, it's not particularly strong or acidic, yet carries a stronger flavor than say Columbian.

In this expansive and detailed (eventually!) look at Coffees from Latin America, we'll definitely come back and add other regions to list of Latin American coffee producing countries. So come on back! Your seat at the counter will be kept just for you!

And finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

Return from Latin American coffee to types of coffee beans.

Return from Latin American coffee to coffee beans.