Coffee may have originated in Africa but throughout the
years, other countries have found ways to make it
better. For those that want class, nothing compares to
the crops that are planted and harvested in Columbia.
Colombian coffee first started in the early 1800's. It
wasn’t long before it was exported to Europe and the
United States. Trade between these two countries exceeds
more than 11 million bags per year with Starbucks being
one of its major clients.
This changed later on as Starbucks itself decided to buy the plantations since it is much cheaper to own them rather than getting their coffee beans from an intermediate supplier.
Colombian coffee beans are from the Coffee Arabic Tree.
These are grown in the mountains under the shade of
banana and rubber trees so they are able to get the
right amount of nutrients from the sun. (The TV
commercials are really true)
Most coffee bean plantations are in the central and eastern
region of the country, not far from
civilization. Nearby cities are Medellin,
Armenia and the capital - Bogota.
It usually takes 4 to 5 years for these to grow so
farmers are able to pick the beans. The farmers who tend
the fields practice the dry process in order to produce
the finished product. Once they are harvested, they are
soaked in cold water for 24 hours which is almost the
same technique in fermenting grapes in order to make
wine.
Not all the beans will meet the standards set by the
farmers. It is only after washing that the beans are
separated so that only the best go through the
final process of being dried in the sun to lower the
acidity level before being packed and delivered to the customer.
Despite its flavor, coffee experts will argue that more
people prefer the taste and aroma of Coffee coming from
Brazil. Regardless of what brand people
buy, the different products available at the grocery
store have a different tastes that support
differing personal preferences.
It wouldn't hurt to try a particular brand then switch
to something else later on. Or better yet, try mixing the
two and see how tastes. This practice is
sometimes done by cafes to produce new flavors and
concoctions that customers will enjoy, should they decide
to return to and hang out with friends.
Follow the advice in this website and you'll have your friends and family
eagerly responding to your next call of
"Anyone for Coffee?"
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Did You Know? -
Countries used different ways to grade their coffee. For
instance, in Costa Rica coffees are graded according to
the bean. In Kenya, they use the standard A, B, C systems
which are already in place as grading systems for most
products on the market.
In Paris, the first coffeehouse was opened in 1689. Its
name Café Procope was taken from the owner Francois
Procope. The café catered to artsy people in the city. |