Coffee was introduced in Brazil by Francisco
de Mello Palheta in 1727 from Cayenne, French Guiana. Today,
Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and is becoming
a significant player in the specialty coffee industry.
The vast majority of farms in Brazil are less than ten hectares
in size. According to the Diagnóstico da Cafeicultura
em Minas Gerais, 71% of farms are less than 10 hectares, 25%
of farms had less than 50 hectares, and only 4% of farms were
larger than 50 hectares.
Today, Brazilian coffees have become more than just blenders.
Now that they are not pre-blended for us we can roast them
properly to amplify their diverse characteristics. Then, if
desired, we can blend the roasted coffees together to achieve
a richer, bolder, and smoother espresso blend.
Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and produces
around 25% of the world's supply of coffee. Eighty percent
of this is Arabica.
COLUMBIA
Coffee was introduced to Colombia in the
early 1800s. Today Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Maragogype
cultivars (varieties) are cultivated.
Freshly roasted Colombian coffee is rich in flavor, moderate
to good body, bright acidity, and is intensely aromatic. Colombia
produces about 12% of the coffee in the world, previously
second only to Brazil prior to the emergence of Vietnam.
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is known as 'the little Switzerland'
of Central America. It has one of the best coffee industries,
having developed its production of quality coffee over many
years. The flavours are quite complex, being delicate and
having a fine subtle acidity.
ETHIOPIA
Many believe that Ethiopia is the birthplace
of coffee (not South America, which some believe). The indigenous
coffee trees (which some experts say, are the only native
coffee trees in the world) first grew in ancient "Abyssinia,"
which is now present day Ethiopia. These trees blossomed in
an area called "Kaffa" and the trees were called
"Kafa," which may as well be the root word for coffee.
In the tenth century, coffee was considered a food.
The production of coffee has not changed much since the 10th
century. Nearly all of Ethiopia's coffee bean production is
still by hand, from the planting of new trees to the final
pickings, which are then sent to the big warehouse in Addis
Ababa. Many women work in these warehouses, earning about
$20 a month.
In 1989, coffee accounted for 63% of the
countries exports. Coffee, contributes (domestic) to about
20% of the governments revenue. About 25% of the entire population
depends directly or indirectly on coffee for its livelihood.
HAWAII
Coffee Trees arrived in Hawaii in the early
1800's. The British warship H.M.S. Blonde brought coffee trees
to Hawaii, from Brazil, in 1825. Chief Boki, Governor of Oahu,
had acquired coffee trees in Rio de Janeiro, on his way back
from London.
The coffee was planted in Manoa Valley on Oahu, and from a
small field, trees were introduced to other areas of Oahu
and neighbor islands. Reverend Samuel Ruggles moved trees
to Captain Cook, Kona in 1828. Hanalei Valley on the North
Shore of Kauai was home to the first coffee plantation. Coffee
was established in the valley in 1842, but was wiped out in
1858 by coffee blight, a scale insect.
In the late 1800's efforts to establish coffee plantations
were defeated by economics. Small farms averaging less than
5-acres in size replaced the Kona coffee plantations.
By the 1930's there were more than 1,000 farms and as late
as the 1950's there were 6,000 acres of coffee in Kona. At
the turn of the last century there was coffee on all the major
Hawaii islands, and now 100 years later, there is once again
coffee on all the major islands. There are 6,500 acres in
coffee statewide and annual production is 6 to 7 million pounds
of green bean.
GUATEMALA
This relatively small country boasts one
of the most climatically diverse regions in the world. The
soil, rainfall, humidity, altitude, and temperature vary enough
that several distinct coffees are produced in Guatemala.
Probably one of the best known is (Genuine) Antigua, which
is considered by many in the industry as one of the leading
single origin coffees in the world. It has good flavour and
body, particlarly when roasted to enhance the chocolate tones,
and typical Central American sparkling finish.
INDIA
Most Indian coffee is grown in the southern
states of Karanataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Indian coffee
is typically wet-processed and is smooth, sweet, and medium
bodied. At its best Indian coffee reaches the flavor characteristics
of Pacific coffees, but at its worst it is simply bland and
uninspiring.
Indian coffee is best known for it's Monsooned coffee. This
is where the beans are layed out in warehouses and dried by
the strong monsoon season winds.
Monsooned coffee mutes the acidity and has a heavier body
often appropriate to add depth to a espresso blend. The best
monsooned coffee is Monsooned Malabar.
INDONESIA
Indonesia is currently the fourth largest
producer of coffee in the world. Coffee has a colourful history,
and has played an important part in the growth of the country.
Indonesia is blessed with an ideal geography for coffee growing.
The longitude and latitude of the country means that the island
origins are all well suited micro-climates for the growth
and production of coffee.
JAMAICA
Jamaican coffee is one of the most expensive
coffees in the world and therefore can be disappointing. The
best estates are Wallenford, Mavis Bank, and Old Tavern.
Be wary of Blue Mountain coffees that do not list the estate
name, do not say 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain, or sell for less
than $100 per kg. Since the coffee is so expensive it is best
to try and find a quality local roaster who can ensure freshness.
KENYA
Kenyan coffee is auctioned in Nairobi every
Tuesday during harvesting season. This practice has lead to
fierce price wars for the best crops.
Kenyan coffee is wet-processed and the grade of Kenyan coffee
is designated by the size of the bean where AA is largest
followed by A and B, which are successively smaller.
Kenyan coffees have a distinctly bright acidity and potent
sweetness with a dry winy aftertaste. Among the best Kenya's
one can find intoxicating black-currant flavor and aroma.
MEXICO
Coffee was first planted in Mexico in the
late 1700s. Mexican coffee is generally uncomplicated and
is used as a base for blending. The coffee is typically light
bodied and nutty, but can have a heavier body, brighter acidity,
and overtones of chocolate.
The most popular cultivars cultivated are Bourbon, Mundo Novo,
Caturra, and Maragogype.
TANZANIA
In terms of the Tanzania coffee character,
it belongs to the Central/East African family of washed (wet-processed)
coffees, bright (acidy), and mostly aggressively flavorful
of which Kenya is certainly the dominant coffee.
YEMEN
Yemen, is one of the oldest and most traditional
of the world's coffees. It is also one of the finest.
Yemen mocha is a dry- processed coffee and is marked either
Mattari or Sanani. Yemen Mocha is characterized by a bright
acidity, musky fruitiness, earth, sweet spice, roasted nuts,
chocolate, wood, and tobacco. Sanani Mochas are described
as having a more balanced fruity character, while Mattaris
have a heavier body and chocolate overtones.
VIETNAM
Vietnam is the world's largest producer of
Robusta coffee, and has recently overtaken Colombia to be
the second largest producer overall. Therefore we include
them for being a significant producer, not because we think
they do good coffee.
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe, formerly known as lower Rhodesia
until independence in 1980, has produced great coffee since
production was introduced in the 1960s. These coffees are
often overshadowed by the great East African coffee: Kenya.
But they can have great balance, complexity, body and finesse.
The most popular method of drying the coffee is in the sun,
followed by six to eight weeks of conditioning. This, coupled
with the unique growing conditions and the care that the farmers
take in cultivation, results in a coffee that has a rich aroma
and slightly spicy flavor with medium body.
