Coffee, a drink beloved in every corner of the planet, has ancient origins and roots in distant, lush lands. But where is coffee born? And what are the regions of the world where the coffee considered to be of superior quality is grown? According to data published by the International Coffee Organization, coffee is today produced in over 70 countries spread across the tropical band.
Where coffee is born: the tropical band, the cradle of the plant
Coffee growing is concentrated in a precise geographic area known as the “Coffee Belt”, or tropical coffee belt, located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In this area, the climate, the altitude and the soil characteristics provide ideal conditions for coffee plants to grow. This belt crosses three continents: America, Africa and Asia, including more than 70 producing countries.
If you’ve been following us, you’ll know that we talked about the Coffee Belt in one of our previous articles (this one), where we described the ideal climate conditions. Today, instead, we’ll see where coffee is born country by country, and I’ll try to give you some pointers on the main characteristics of each.
Where is coffee born? The leading countries in cultivation
Here’s a tour of the countries where the world’s finest coffee is grown:
Ethiopia
Considered the home of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia gives us wild beans with a fruity and floral aromatic profile. Each region – Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harrar – has unique organoleptic characteristics. Many experts agree that in these regions coffee actually grows spontaneously. According to legend, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered that his goats were eating cherries that made them very energetic. He decided to bring some of the cherries to the local monks, who might be able to tell him why they had made his goats so much more active.
Seeing the cherries, the monks threw them into the fire, fearing they might contain some evil magic. As they started to burn, however, the aroma they gave off was so inviting that the monks decided to pull them out of the fire, grind them and put them in a container of water. Later, the monks tried the very first brew, and voilà, the art of drinking coffee was born.
Brazil
The largest coffee producer in the world. Brazilian plantations, often located at low altitudes, deliver sweet, chocolatey and balanced Arabicas. Most of the Brazilian coffees exported are Mundo Novo varieties, which represent 40% of total coffee exports. It’s a hybrid of Typica and Bourbon developed in Brazil in the 1940s. Brazilian coffee is a blend of four coffee varieties grown in the south. Each variety has a distinct taste, described below:
- Icatu is a cross between Robusta and Bourbon Vermelho (red). It has recognizable flavors of maple syrup, cocoa and malt, which make it a good partner for milk.
- Catuai (red and yellow) is a high-yield Arabica cultivar derived from the Mundo Novo and Caturra varieties. It’s sweet and has the desirable flavor of Bourbon.
- Mundo Novo is a natural hybrid of Bourbon and Typica plants. It’s a preferred coffee plant for its disease-resistance characteristics. It produces higher yields than the Bourbon varietal. This coffee bean is characterized by a strong, but sweet-toned acidity.
- Obata is the coffee descended from Mundo Novo and Sarchimor. It has a soft character with hints of floral and honey notes. The Obata bean is usually dry-processed.
Colombia
Famous for its washed Arabica, grown at high altitude. Colombian coffee is appreciated for its bright acidity, medium body and fruity notes. Colombian coffee is coffee that’s been grown in Colombia’s various departments. It isn’t a coffee bean variety in its own right. It’s appreciated for its excellent flavor and aroma, since almost all of the coffee grown is of the Arabica variety.
Good quality and specialty Colombian coffee shows flavors like chocolate, caramel and nuts. This is very similar to what you see in Brazilian coffees, but there’s more acidity. Acidity is highly valued in good quality coffee, as it gives the coffee a vibrant and refreshing quality. Colombia actually has an enormous variety of aromatic profiles. You’ll also find fruity coffees with flavors like cherry and berries, plus some with floral and jammy notes. Colombian coffees truly offer something for everyone, which is why they’re so popular.
Vietnam
The second-largest producer in the world, it’s the leader in Robusta cultivation. Vietnamese beans have a strong taste, ideal for espresso blends. More than 90% of Vietnamese coffee production is Robusta and is grown throughout the country, but mostly in the Central Highlands. Depending on the terroir, Vietnamese Robusta produces slightly different flavors.
Compared to Arabica, in any case, it has a harsh and strong bitter flavor. However, almost all Robusta beans from Vietnam are dry-processed and dark-roasted, so the bitterness becomes even more intense. This is why local coffee drinkers use sweetened condensed milk to balance it. Online you can find many Vietnamese coffee recipes that confirm this.
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama (Central America)
These Central American countries produce high-quality Arabicas, often grown on small family-run farms. These regions offer an ideal climate for cultivating top-tier coffees. Panama in particular is known as one of the places where some of the highest-quality coffees in the world are grown and is especially famous for the Geisha variety.
Geisha coffee is known for its bright acidity and its sweet, fruity yet floral aroma reminiscent of jasmine and peach. Depending on where the coffee beans are grown, they can have many different flavor nuances. Some of the most common are berries, peach, mango, citrus, lime, jasmine and pineapple. Over the years, Panama has won numerous awards for its coffee, as the country makes great strides in growing complex and delicious coffee beans.
Yemen
Here coffee has been grown for centuries in extreme conditions. Its beans, naturally processed, deliver spicy and complex notes. Most coffee plantations in Yemen are small and wild. These farms are located on terraced slopes that are very hard to farm. Most farmers process the beans themselves, hand-picking the cherries during the harvest season. The world-renowned variety typical of this place is called Mocha.
Mocha coffee is full-bodied, with a complex and earthy taste. Its acidity is wine-like and rich. When you enjoy Yemeni coffee, you’ll taste a wide range of flavors. Hints of cinnamon, spices, raisins and especially the distinctive note of chocolate are all evident. Surprisingly, you’ll also find that this coffee is accompanied by mild notes with an earthy, tobacco-like nuance.
Indonesia
Indonesian coffee grows mainly in Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. Small farms cultivate the beans using different methods influenced by regional differences and unique processing techniques. The “wet-hulling” process strips the layers from the cherries while they’re still wet, resulting in a coffee that is full-bodied, low in acidity and with fruity flavors.
Most Indonesian coffee (80-90%) is Robusta, often used for commercial-grade coffee. The remaining coffee is mainly Arabica, used for specialty coffees. Indonesian specialty coffee is a unique, high-quality coffee that scores 80+ out of 100 on the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) rating scale
Among the Indonesian specialty varieties worth mentioning are the following: Kopi Luwak, Gayo Coffee, Kintamani Coffee, Bali Blue Moon Coffee, Mandheling Coffee, Toraja Coffee, Wamena Coffee and Temanggung Coffee
India
Indian coffee is grown only in three specific states located in the south of the country: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These regions are particularly suited to coffee growing thanks to seasonal monsoon rains, which have led Indian coffee to sometimes be called “ Indian monsooned coffee“. These dry-processed beans are exposed to moisture-laden monsoon winds coming in from the Arabian Sea. Over the course of this 12-16 week process, the beans absorb moisture in several stages, swell up to nearly double their original size and develop colors ranging from pale gold to light brown.
The end result is a unique, large bean with notes of black pepper, chocolate, smoky tobacco and woody notes, with medium body and medium acidity.
Where the best coffee is born: how to choose
The answer isn’t a single one: the best coffee depends on personal tastes and preferences. Still, the varieties grown at high altitude, with careful processing methods and with respect for the terroir, tend to express superior quality, which will of course be reflected in the final product’s price. My advice is not to obsess over the search for the absolute highest-end products thinking that the more the coffee costs, the better it will be.
We have to remember that taste is subjective, and many times what is praised as the top of the top may not appeal to us, or we may not be in a position to appreciate it at that moment. My idea is to experiment as much as possible and, above all, take notes — even literally writing down our impressions with pen and paper. Over time you’ll have your own coffee diary that could prove very useful!
