Coffee — Colombia’s black gold

Colombia is remarkable in many ways, particularly its climate. From the high Andes to the tropical Caribbean, it has a rich variety of plants and wildlife — including, of course, coffee. In the period described by this article, Colombia ranked behind Brazil and Vietnam as the world's third-largest coffee producer.

Coffee is thought to have been introduced by Jesuits in the eighteenth century. The climate and growing conditions suited the plants so well that coffee became one of Colombia's major exports during the twentieth century. Figures cited at the time put annual production at more than 700,000 tonnes, while some sources described harvests of around 10 million bags; volumes vary by year.

Colombia has much of what coffee plants thrive on: warmth, fertile soils, sunshine and high elevations. These conditions suit Arabica, which is generally more demanding to grow than Robusta.

Colombian Arabica is especially valued for its quality. The country's coffee-growing heritage is reflected in UNESCO recognition of its Coffee Cultural Landscape, associated with the famous coffee-growing region. The National Federation of Coffee Growers also plays an important role in supporting quality and production.

Traditional cultivation

Colombian coffee is associated with areas around Medellín, Armenia and Manizales, as well as regions such as Antioquia, Chocó, Nariño, Santander and the Sierra Nevada.

What contributes to its quality? Favourable conditions are combined with hands-on cultivation and harvesting. Several factors deserve particular attention:

• Climate: Andean slopes, fertile volcanic soils and tropical rainfall allow coffee plants to flower at different times across the country. In many areas, two harvest periods are important, including April–May and October–December, though timing varies by region.
• Harvesting: Coffee is commonly picked by hand. Selective picking allows ripe cherries to be sent for processing, helping maintain quality.
• Processing: Washed, or wet, processing is widely used and contributes to the clean, expressive character associated with many Colombian coffees.

Arabica reigns in Colombia

Among the Arabica varieties associated with Colombia is Typica, an old botanical variety valued for a clean, sweet cup despite relatively low yields. The original article describes it as a substantial part of traditional cultivation.

Caturra is another well-known variety, often offering a lively, refreshing acidity, while Bourbon is associated with a sweet, delicate character. You may also encounter Supremo coffees with citrus notes. Supremo is a bean-size grade rather than a botanical variety, and the flavour still depends on the origin, variety and processing.

All that remains is to brew, explore and taste — and discover your own favourite speciality coffee from Colombia.