Coffee History

Today we travel to Colombia, one of the most evocative coffee-growing areas in the world, so much so that its landscapes are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Coffee

zones take the name of Paisa or Eje Cafetero: rural areas that extend into various departments towards the south of the state, beyond Medellin. The best known are those of:

• Caldas
• Quindio
• Risaralda
• Tolima
• Valle del Cauca

Arrival of coffee in Colombia

Eje Cafetero, with perfect climatic conditions, was colonized by the Paisas in the 19th century, during the Colonización Antioqueña.

It reads:

“It is a cultural landscape in which natural, economic and cultural elements are combined with a high degree of heterogeneity in the region, and which constitutes an exceptional case in the world. In this landscape, the human, family and generational efforts of the coffee producers are combined with the permanent support of the institutions.”

Here life flows slowly, in contact with and respecting nature, made up of simplicity and centuries-old cultural traditions.

Coffee has conditioned the economy, lifestyle, traditions, customs and habits of the small historic villages of farmers, who hand down knowledge and skills from father to son.

Initially people rejected coffee, as it takes about 5 years to give the first fruitful harvests, but in 1999 revenues already represented 3.7% of GDP and 37% of agricultural employment.

Their traditional drink consists of an extraction in a fabric filter, in which the ground coffee undergoes multiple passages by hot water, to be served in a large, steaming cup.

When I drink a cup of Colombia Supremo Finca la Meseta I imagine myself in the beautiful spa areas, immersed in the vast plantations of an intense emerald green, embraced by cloud forests, between steep valleys and peaks with glaciers, kissed by the sun and overlooking the national parks of the Andes. 

Here is the hacienda from which we buy our Colombian coffee, from the Finca called La Meseta, which is located south of Medellin in the department of Caldas or Chinchina.

Plantation located between 1000 and 1500 meters above sea level, which produces high quality and specialty coffees, with brands such as Organic, Biological and Rainforest Alliance, very important to us to be sure that our coffees are also sustainable.

And to honor their product, the recognedores, i.e. the pickers of the red berries, always work manually, making a careful selection and selecting only the cherries that are perfectly ripe.

The coffee grown is mostly Arabica, of 5 varieties in particular: Maragogipe, Bourbon, Castillo, Caturra and Typica.

The different soil variables, the forest and the botanical heterogeneity, the climate and the great knowledge and competence of the growers create the conditions for producing an excellent coffee with an intense and soft taste at the same time, with a vast aromatic range, with notes of chocolate, almond, fruit and flowers.

Tips

To get the most out of these lands, I suggest you try the espresso or filter coffee, especially using the Aeropress!

https://www.caffeernani.com/en/category/how-to-make-coffee/

Discover all the characteristics of this coffee in the product description and Happy tasting!

Curiosity

The best time for a trip to the Colombian plantations is between April and May, or between October and December.

One of Colombia’s strengths has been recognizing the value of marketing and the importance of building its own recognizable brand. Thus, in 1958 the figure of Juan Valdez was born, the farmer who represents Colombian coffees: a very successful icon who, accompanied by his mule Conchita while carrying sacks full of coffee beans, are the symbol of Colombian coffee. A folkloric image that immediately conveys the climate and sensations associated with these precious beans.

Marketing phrases such as “Mountain Grown Coffee” were born around the same time, and the constant promotion of 100% Colombian coffee made Colombia stand out in the minds of consumers around the world.