Coffee Regions of the World: South America

 

South American Coffee

When it comes to great coffee, it is helpful to consider it like wine. With wine, the myriad factors that go into making each bottle all contribute to make for a complex final product. Things like the type of grapes, the season, the terroir, etc. These all play a massive role in making one bottle from one vineyard distinct from all the others in the world. The same thing can be said for coffee, too. Instead of grapes, of course think of the coffee cherries and their beans, but things like altitude, rainfall, climate and many other variables contribute to making your cup of joe one of a kind. One region we would like to take a closer look at today is sunny South America!

 South American coffees do vary by country and also by regions from within a country, but some uniform factors that most South American beans reflect include flavor notes like chocolate, nuts and caramel. The acidity of South American beans are generally mild as well. Now, let’s take a tour of some coffee nations and what their beans have in store for you!

 

Brazil

 Like many countries in South America, Brazil is home to ideal geographical features that contribute to growing great coffee. Brazil has some choice soil and a humid and tropical climate that produces amazing beans. In fact, Brazil is also the foremost coffee producing nation in the world. Brazil’s beans are also as widely diverse as the country itself is, with new and interesting beans being discovered or bred from hybridizing different plants. Brazil’s growing regions include half of the 26 states that Brazil is divided into. They include the Minas Gerais state which is itself comprised of the the Cerrado de Minas, Chapada de Minas, Matas de Minas and Sul de Minas regions, all of which produce some exquisite coffee. There is also the Parana, Bahia, Sao Paulo and Espirito Santo states among many other superb Brazilian states that produce coffee. Brazilian coffee has some special processing methods like washed and unwashed processing, natural and honeyed. When it comes to flavor notes to expect with Brazilian beans, one can look for a low level of acidity, a heavy body, a pleasant and sweet gentleness and one of Brazilian coffee’s most distinct traits, a flavor palette that includes chocolaty, spicy, fruity and floral notes.

 For those looking for great Brazilian coffee, Fuzzy Monkey has the Lion Tamerin. This dark roast comes from the Santa Mariana region of Parana. Fuzzy Monkey’s beans are a perfect specimen of Brazilian coffee encapsulating the typical flavor profile for a Brazilian bean including dark chocolate, and red bell peppers. It has a complex body with an acidity that errs on the sweet side with a long finish. Certainly a bag variety to try out today!

 

Colombia

 When scouring the globe for amazing Arabica beans, look no further than Colombia. The South American nation is famous for its superb beans. Don’t believe me? Just ask Juan Valdez himself! Well, that is if he was real. But when it comes to coffee, Colombia checks all the boxes for an ideal place to grow it. It is tropical, with high precipitation and humidity, with nutrient rich soil and high altitudes to grow and cultivate coffee on. Colombia is divided into five major coffee growing zones which are further divided into several coffee growing departments. The departments include Narino, Norte de Santander, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, Huila, Tolima, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindio and last but not least, Cundinamarca.

 

The methods for processing Colombian beans include both the washed and the natural processes. And as for the flavor profiles and notes, the typical Colombian coffee will have a moderate acidity, a medium body and treat you with a nice citrusy, nutty and fruity flavor palette.

 

For the coffee explorers out there ready to try out some Colombia beans, Fuzzy Monkey has got you covered, with their Spider Monkey Colombia beans. These beans will serve up a harmonious balance of smoothness with fruity, chocolaty and caramel tasting notes. With a medium body, a bright acidity and a pleasing after taste, these beans are sure to please.

 

Peru

High in the Andes Mountains there is a producer of some extra delicious coffee. Peru’s mountainous environment also contributes to a great place to cultivate a choice selection of Arabica beans. Peru’s coffee regions include Cajamarca, Junin, San Martin and Cusco. Peru’s coffee industry has been on the rise since the 1920’s and continues to grow and flourish today where it joins other coffee powerhouses like Brazil and Colombia in producing fine beans.

Wondering what you can expect from Peruvian coffee beans? The method of processing in Peru is generally the washed method and the flavor palette includes a bright acidity, a body that is light and a sweet and floral taste profile.

If this description peaks your interests, take a look at Fuzzy Monkey’s Peruvian Night Monkey which comes from the Central Selva region of Junin, one of Peru’s major coffee production areas. Like other Peruvian coffee beans, these beans are washed and sun-dried to absolute perfection. The tasting profile one can expect from these beans is as follows, spicy, floral, sweet, well-balanced, complex and possessing a full and creamy body. Fuzzy Monkey’s beans are certainly a perfect representative of Peruvian coffee beans!

 

Ecuador

While Ecuador may be famous for its oil industry, it also produces some fine coffee as well! Having a topography and geographic area similar to its neighbor’s, Ecuador has some great coffee beans that benefit from nutrient rich soil from the coastline as well as the altitudes provided by the Andes Mountains. The representatives of sea and mountain as Ecuador’s coffee regions include the coastal Manabi province and the Andean Guayaquil regions.

When tasting Ecuadorian coffee be on the lookout for these flavor notes; a bright acidity and a lower to light body. The tasting palette will also be fruity and have floral notes, too.

 

Bolivia

Sharing topography similar to Colombia’s this landlocked South American country still has some interesting beans to offer. Boliva’s coffee industry is not yet as pronounced as other South American countries but still has a few regions of particular excellence including Yungas, Santa Cruz, Beni, Cochabamba, Tarija, and the Pando region.

Bolivian coffee is generally processed with the washing method and the flavors are very stunning. The body of Bolivian coffee is light, with an acidity that is described as crisp and a flavor palette that includes sweetness, fruitiness and floral notes.

 

South American Coffee; Vibrant and Zesty

South America produces some of the best coffee in the world. And our list of countries and regions are just the entryway into the wonderful world (pun intended) of global coffee regions. From the vivacious Colombian, to the chocolaty and delectable Brazilian, South America has a bean variety for any and all curious coffee consumers. Why not try some of Fuzzy Monkey’s excellent South American bean selections today?

Sources:

  • “Café De Colombia.” Our Coffee Regions | Café De Colombia, www.cafedecolombia.com/particulares/en/la_tierra_del_cafe/regiones_cafeteras/.
  • “A Roaster's Guide to The Coffee-Producing Regions of Colombia.” Perfect Daily Grind, 7 June 2019, www.perfectdailygrind.com/2017/10/roasters-guide-coffee-producing-regions-colombia/.
  •  “How Coffees from Different Parts of the World Taste.” Driftaway Coffee, 21 Sept. 2017, driftaway.coffee/coffee-from-around-the-world/.
  •  Oden, Garrett. “The Complete Guide To Coffee Bean Origins: South America.” Sudden Coffee, Sudden Coffee, 21 Mar. 2018, www.suddencoffee.com/blogs/blog/the-complete-guide-to-coffee-bean-origins-south-america.
  • “Fuzzy Monkey Coffee Co. LLC.” Fuzzy Monkey Coffee Co., fuzzymonkeycoffee.com/.

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published