The World Atlas of Coffee: From beans to brewing - coffees explored, explained and enjoyed
Page 26
JINOTEGA
The name of the region, and its capital city, is derived from the Nahuatl word xinotencatl, but there is disagreement as to what this actually means. It is either ‘city of old men’ or ‘neighbours of the Jiñocuabos’, the latter probably being the accurate one. The region’s economy has long been dependent on coffee, and it is still the primary producing region in Nicaragua.
Altitude:
1,100–1,700m (3,600–5,600ft)
Harvest:
December–March
Varieties:
Caturra, Bourbon
MATAGALPA
Another region named after its capital city, a city with a museum dedicated to coffee. Coffee from this region is produced by a mixture of estates and cooperatives.
Altitude:
1,000–1,400m (3,300–4,600ft)
Harvest:
December–February
Varieties:
Caturra, Bourbon
NUEVA SEGOVIA
This region is on Nicaragua’s northern border, and in recent years it has begun to distinguish itself for producing some of the very best coffees in the country, with a great deal of success in the country’s Cup of Excellence competition.
Altitude:
1,100–1,650m (3,600–5,400ft)
Harvest:
December–March
Varieties:
Caturra, Bourbon
PANAMA
Coffee plants probably arrived in Panama with the first European settlers in the early 19th century. In the past, Panama did not have a very good reputation for its coffees, and its production was about one-tenth of that of its neighbour Costa Rica, but now there is increasing interest from the speciality coffee community in the high-quality coffees it can produce.
Panama’s geography is such that there are a number of distinct microclimates in its coffee-growing regions, and there are some incredibly skilled and dedicated producers currently growing coffee. This means that there are some stellar coffees being produced, though these often come with relatively high asking prices.
These high prices are partly determined by the other major factor influencing the industry there: real estate. There is a high demand for land from North Americans wishing to buy a home in a stable, beautiful and relatively cheap country. Many farms that once produced coffee have now been sold as homes for ex-pats. Panama also has a higher standard of labour laws, so coffee pickers tend to be paid a higher wage here, a cost that is passed on to the consumer.
HACIENDA LA ESMERALDA
When it comes to discussing the price of coffee, one particular farm in Panama merits a mention and it is hard to think of another single estate that has had such a strong influence on the coffee industry in Central America. That farm is Hacienda La Esmeralda, owned and operated by the Peterson family.
At a time when the commodity price of coffee was relatively low, the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama organized a competition called the Best of Panama: the best lots of coffee from different farms in Panama were ranked and then put up for an online auction. Hacienda La Esmeralda had been growing a distinct variety called Geisha for some years, but this competition brought their coffee to a wider audience. They won the competition for four successive years from 2004 to 2007, and then again in 2009, 2010 and a category of the 2013 competition. From the outset this coffee broke records when it achieved a price of $21/lb in 2004, which incrementally crept up to $170/lb in 2010. A small lot of its naturally processed coffee sold for $350.25/lb in 2013, leaving no one in doubt that this was the most expensive single-estate coffee in the world.
Unlike some other very high-priced coffees (such as the appalling novelty-driven Kopi Luwak, or some of the Jamaica Blue Mountain coffees), this farm achieved its prices due to the genuinely high quality of its coffee, although high demand and great marketing undoubtedly played a role. This record-breaking coffee tastes quite unusual: extremely floral and citrusy though quite light and tea-like in body. These characteristics are attributed to the Geisha variety.
The impact of this farm can be seen in the number of farms in Panama, and in Central America, who have started planting Geisha. For many producers this variety seemed like a promise of higher prices, and to some extent this has proven to be true, as Geisha lots are usually sold for higher prices than other varieties.
The distinctive Geisha variety is commonly associated with crops from Panama. Its floral, citrusy flavour and efforts by local farmers to maintain high quality has created a growing demand.
TRACEABILITY
One should expect high levels of traceability from Panama. Coffees are often traceable down to a single estate and it is not unusual to see distinct lots from one particular estate, such as a coffee produced by a distinctive post-harvest process or one from a specific variety of the coffee plant.
A plantation in Volcan is one of many in this region producing stunning coffees.
TASTE PROFILE
The better coffees tend to be citrusy and floral, light bodied, delicate and complex.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 4,058,000
Number of 60kg (132lb) bags in 2013: 115,000
Panama’s regions have been defined more by how coffee has been sold than by geography. Previously, when coffee was more widespread, the regions listed below could have been grouped as one entity, as they are small and closely clustered together.
BOQUETE
This is the best-known of Panama’s producing regions. Its mountainous topography produces various distinct microclimates. The fairly cool weather and frequent mists help slow the maturation of the coffee cherries and some argue this mimics the effects of higher altitude.
Altitude:
400–1,900m (1,300–6,200ft)
Harvest:
December–March
Varieties:
Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon
VOLCAN-CANDELA
This region produces much of Panama’s food, and some stunning coffees. Named after the Volcan Baru volcano and Piedra Candela city, the region borders Costa Rica.
Altitude:
1,200–1,600m (3,900–5,200ft)
Harvest:
December–March
Varieties:
Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon
RENACIMIENTO
Another district within the Chiriquí province, on the border with Costa Rica. The district itself is relatively small, so it is not a primary producer of Panama’s speciality coffees.
Altitude:
1,100–1,500m (3,600–4,900ft)
Harvest:
December–March
Varieties:
Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon
PERU
Coffee was first brought to Peru between 1740 and 1760, at a time when the Viceroyalty of Peru covered a larger area than the country does today. Although the climate was well suited to large-scale coffee production, all coffee grown in the first hundred years or so was consumed locally. The first exports of coffee, to Germany and England, did not begin until 1887.
In the 1900s, the Peruvian government defaulted on a loan from the British government and ended up giving them two million hectares (five million acres) of land in Central Peru as repayment. One-quarter of this land was turned over to plantations, growing crops, which included coffee. Migrant workers from the highlands came to work on these farms and some ended up owning some land themselves. Others would later buy land from the British when they left Peru.
Unfortunately for the coffee industry, Juan Velasco’s government brought in laws in the 1970s that would cripple growth. The International Coffee Agreement had guaranteed sales and prices, so there had been little incentive to create proper infrastructure. When state support was withdrawn, the coffee industry sunk into disarray. The quality of the coffee and Peru’s market position further suffered at the hands of the communist party, The Shining Path, whose guerrilla activity destroyed cro
ps and drove farmers from their land.
The vacuum left in Peru’s coffee industry has recently been filled by non-government organizations such as Fair Trade, and now a large quantity of coffee from Peru is FT certified. More and more land is also being devoted to coffee: in 1980 there were 62,000 hectares (154,000 acres), today there are 95,00 hectares (235,000 acres). Peru is now one of the largest producers of coffee in the world.
The infrastructure within Peru still stands in the way of the country producing extremely high-quality lots. Few mills are situated close to farms, which means that the coffee is often travelling longer than is desirable after harvest before processing starts. Some coffees end up being bought and blended with other coffees, then resold en route to the coast for export. Interestingly, around one-quarter of the hundred thousand small producers in the country are now members of cooperatives, although it is important to remember that Fair Trade certification can only apply to coffee produced by a cooperative. There is also a strong culture of organic production in Peru, though this rarely yields higher cup quality. In fact, the organic coffees produced in Peru are often so cheap that they end up bringing down prices paid to other farmers, regardless of them producing higher-quality coffee.
Perhaps because of this, and also because of the widespread cultivation of the Typica variety, leaf rust is increasingly a problem for Peruvian producers. While the 2013 crop was good, there have been severe outbreaks of leaf rust, which may well reduce overall production in the near future.
TRACEABILITY
The best coffees should be traceable down to a producer group or down to a single estate.
TASTE PROFILE
Typically Peruvian coffees have been clean, but a little soft and flat. They are sweet and relatively heavy bodied but not very complex. Increasingly there are distinctive and juicier coffees becoming available.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 31,152,000
Number of 60kg (132lb) bags in 2016: 3,800,000
Some coffee is grown outside of the main regions listed below, but not in the same quantities and without the same level of recognition. Some might argue that Peru is well placed to deal with the increased temperatures that may come with climate change, as it has plenty of land at higher altitudes that may become suitable for growing coffee in the future.
CAJAMARCA
Cajamarca is a state in the north of the country named for its capital city, and covers the northern end of the Peruvian Andes. The region benefits from an equatorial climate and soils suitable for coffee. Most producers in the region are smallholders, although they are often well organized and belong to producers’ organizations, which supply technical help, training, loans, community development and other support. One of these organizations in the region, CENFROCAFE, works with 1,900 families to promote coffee roasting and runs a local café to help the farmers diversify.
Altitude:
900–2,050m (3,000–6,750ft)
Harvest:
March–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Pache, Mondo Novo, Catuai, Catimor
JUNIN
This region produces 20–25 per cent of Peru’s coffee and here the coffee grows in amongst the rainforest. The area did suffer in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of guerrilla activity, and the neglect of the trees during this period allowed plant diseases to spread. The coffee industry had to be restarted from almost nothing in the late 1990s.
Altitude:
1,400–1,900m (4,600–6,200ft)
Harvest:
March–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Pache, Mondo Novo, Catuai, Catimor
CUSCO
Cusco is a region in the south of the country where coffee, in some ways, is the legal alternative to the other popular crop in this area: coca. Most of the coffee is grown by smallholders, rather than larger estates. The area thrives on tourism, and many visitors travel through the city of Cusco on their way to see Machu Picchu.
Altitude:
1,200–1,900m (3,900–6,200ft)
Harvest:
March–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Pache, Mondo Novo, Catuai, Catimor
SAN MARTIN
This region is on the eastern side of the Andes, and many farmers produce coffee on plots 5–10 hectares (10–24 acres) in size. In the past this was the main area of coca production in Peru, although cooperatives in the region now promote the idea of diversification by growing other crops alongside coffee, such as cacao and honey. In recent years the level of poverty in the region has dropped dramatically, from 70 per cent down to 31 per cent of the population.
Altitude:
1,100–2,000m (3,600–6,600ft)
Harvest:
March–September
Varieties:
Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Pache, Mondo Novo, Catuai, Catimor
Peru’s limited infrastructure stands in the way of the country producing coffee of outstanding quality. The delivery and processing of fresh harvests are often delayed and few mills are located near plantations.
VENEZUELA
The introduction of coffee to Venezuela is generally credited to a Jesuit priest named José Gumilla in around 1730. Venezuela came to be known for its plantations of tobacco and cacao run on slave labour, and from around 1793 there is evidence of large coffee plantations too.
From around 1800, coffee took an increasingly important role in the economy. During the Venezuelan War of Independence, from 1811 to 1823, cacao production began to drop but coffee production surged. The first boom in the country’s coffee industry took place between 1830 and 1855, when Venezuela produced around one-third of the world’s coffee. Coffee continued to grow in production, peaking in 1919 with a total export of 1.37 million bags. Together, coffee and cacao accounted for 75 per cent of the country’s entire export revenue. Most of the coffee went to the United States.
In the 1920s, Venezuela’s economy became increasingly dependent on petroleum, although coffee remained a good source of revenue. Much of the revenue was spent on national infrastructure, until the prices dropped in the 1930s and the production and processing infrastructure suffered as a consequence. This period also saw a shift towards privatization in the coffee industry, stripping peasants of much of their power to grow their own coffee on public land.
Since this period, the nation has been fundamentally dependent on petroleum products and other mineral exports. Coffee production and exports had remained relatively high, with Venezuela nearly matching the production of Colombia, but that changed under the government of Hugo Chávez. In 2003, the government introduced strict regulations on coffee production, which meant the country increasingly had to rely on imports for domestic consumption, mostly from Nicaragua and Brazil. Venezuela exported 479,000 bags of coffee in 1992/1993 and this dropped again to 19,000 in 2009/2010. Government-fixed sales prices have been considerably below the cost of production, which has inevitably damaged the industry. Few can predict how the situation will change in the wake of Chávez’s death.
Though Venezuelan coffee production was strong in the early-20th century, crops are increasingly rare and have suffered from political resistance and poor remuneration for farmers.
TRACEABILITY
As so little coffee is exported from the country, coming across Venezuelan coffees of quality is rare. While some should be traceable down to single estates, it is more common to see coffees described by their region names. Generally speaking, the low altitude and lack of focus on cup quality means I would recommend trying Venezuelan coffees only if they are being provided by a roaster whose coffees you generally enjoy and who you trust.
TASTE PROFILE
The better coffees from Venezuela are quite sweet, a little low in acidity and relatively rich in terms of mouthfeel and texture.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 31,775,000
Number of 60kg (132lb)
bags in 2016: 400,000
Coffees from Venezuela are currently quite rare. There are hopes that this may change in the future but it seems unlikely in the short term.
WESTERN REGION
This region produces a large percentage of the country’s coffee. It is easier to find export grades marked with the name of the state in which they were produced, such as Táchira, Mérida or Zulia, rather than the region. Some people make comparisons between coffees from this region and those from neighbouring Colombia.
Altitude:
1,000–1,200m (3,300–3,900ft)
Harvest:
September–March
Varieties:
Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra
WEST CENTRAL REGION
This region contains the states of Portuguesa and Lara, some of the primary coffee-producing regions in the country, as well as Falcón and Yaracuy. The best coffees are considered to come from this region, relatively close to the Colombian border. These coffees are commonly referred to as Maracaibos, named for the port from which they are exported.