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Without a doubt, the Colombian coffee is known worldwide for its high level of quality. Its delicious Arabica flavour and its artisanal essence has been passed down from generation to generation among families throughout the country. Guaranteeing you that having a cup of Colombian coffee with you will brighten up all your days.
Therefore, we will tackle the delicious topic that will make many mouths water today: We will talk about Colombian Coffee, its characteristics and what is the best option for you.
Summary
- Colombian coffee is a rich blend from the fertile volcanic soils of the high Andes within the Colombian territory, applauded worldwide by professionals and casual diners for its striking and delicious flavour, rich in fruity, chocolate and citrus aromas.
- Don’t forget that this exquisite product is available in the market with great versatility. You can buy instant coffee, for times when you need to save time, ground coffee for some practicality or whole coffee to preserve its value and original essence.
- Additionally, we have listed some of the factors that will determine the best use you can make of your coffee, whether it is the type of bean, roast level or region of origin, keep them in mind and create the best coffee possible.
The Best Colombian Coffee: Our Picks
Buying Guide: What you need to know about Colombian Coffee
Being able to distinguish between hundreds of coffees can be the difference between a product that fills your next cup with exquisiteness, and one that may leave your palate with an inauthentic memory. That’s why we’ve created a guide ready to help you with all the coffee-related details you might need.
What is Colombian coffee and what are its advantages?
It is recognised worldwide as one of the best coffees due to all the properties and characteristics it possesses. It is mainly characterised by the rich soils where it grows, as well as the very old traditional processing methods.
Colombian instant, ground and whole bean coffee – what should you look out for?
Instant Colombian coffee
It comes from the still green coffee seeds, which go through a process of roasting, grinding and, additionally, drying. This gives them their characteristic powdery appearance, ready to be mixed with water and ingested. It should be noted that this process can compromise the original flavour of the product.
Ground Colombian Coffee
Its level of processing differs from the rest as it does not go beyond the crushing stage, i.e. it does not undergo any kind of pulverisation that could further dehydrate the coffee cherry. This gives it a remarkable superiority compared to instant coffee, if your main concern is to preserve the purity of flavour.
Whole Colombian Coffee
Keeping it as close as possible to its original state is the best way to take care of the excellence of the bean. It is therefore very important to know how to package it in order to avoid any type of oxidation that could affect its integrity, and it is also essential to have a grinder that allows you to granulate the product for consumption.
| Instant Colombian Coffee | Ground Colombian Coffee | Whole Colombian Coffee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation time | 5 minutes or less | 10 – 15 minutes | Up to 20 minutes |
| Flavour preservation | Preserves 30% of flavour | Preserves 50% – 70% of flavour | Preserves 90% of flavour |
| Structure | Industrialised | Semi-organic | Organic |
Buying Criteria
If you’ve made it this far, you certainly take seriously the selection and details that will complement the coffee that will be added to your pantry. For this reason we decided to talk a little more in depth about the details and factors we recommend you take into account. You will surely feel like an expert in Colombian coffees.
- Types of Colombian coffee beans
- Caracolillo
- Colombian Supremo
- Green beans
- Roast level
- Lightly roasted
- Medium-highly roasted
- Growing conditions
- Northern coffee
- Coffee from the central region
Types of Colombian coffee beans
Coffee in Colombia is much more than just a complement on the table, it is a cultural factor that has developed and spread through all the communities of the territory and that offer a considerable range of beans that vary depending on the soil where they grow, the altitude and the management of the coffee growers.
Caracolillo
Caracolillos or peaberry beans come from 5% of an entire harvest, guaranteeing the best quality that can be found in the market. They are grown in volcanic soils and at the highest elevations of the Andean mountain range, which naturally gives them a unique flavour.
Its characteristic flavour with notes of malt, nut and chocolate, in relation to its optimum level of freshness, makes it the best option for the most professional baristas or for diners who wish to make a fusion of flavours.
Colombian Supremo
Its main feature is the smoothness and delicacy of its flavour, complemented with fruity, sweet and slightly nutty tones. It is harvested only in shady places, located high up in the Colombian states.
Its high level of acidity makes it the ideal choice for espresso coffees or for people who want to add a touch of energy and flavour to their mornings, ideal for breakfast or in the afternoon after a long day at work.
Green beans
Emblematic of the Cauca region, recognizable mainly by its caramelized and almond notes, which is added to a manual selection process that ensures greater consistency.
It is the option that we recommend to those who are looking for sweet and more youthful notes, bordering on the experimental. It is the alternative that best suits as an accompaniment the next time you are ready to enjoy a dessert.
Roast level
The roasting level plays a key role in the whole coffee making process. All the different roast levels can open the door to hundreds of textures and varieties that can come from a single harvest, depending on how well roasted the bean is.
Lightly roasted
Colombian coffee beans that are lightly roasted tend to have a distinct, naturally acidic and citrusy flavour. Accompanied by notes of caramel and cocoa, all without compromising the original flavour of the bean.
Because of how strong these flavours can feel on the palate, we recommend that people who choose to use these beans mix them with other flavours, such as milk or chocolate, infusing them to get the most out of their properties.
Medium-highly roasted
There is no doubt that this is usually the best and most recommended alternative for people who are in search of rich flavours, with depth and a hint of chocolate.
Its level of balance provides a range of flavours that can be served in the most popular coffees, as well as being one of the best to complement other dishes. We recommend this bean for the less experienced, or those who want a more bearable flavour.
Growing conditions
Colombia provides ideal conditions that are not replicated anywhere else in the world, to be the perfect formula for making coffee crops emblematic products of the territory with respect to other countries. Even so, the areas where they are harvested directly influence the quality of the product and its usefulness.
Northern coffee
Its sour tendency, but with less body, gives it quite characteristic properties in relation to the rest of the products derived from other regions of Colombia. Highly used by those looking for strong complementary flavours, perfect for liqueurs.
It is ideal to acquire a Colombian coffee from the north in order to experiment with flavours that balance it, preferably fruity or sweet, used in recipes where the strong flavour of coffee is required.
Coffee from the central region
The central region of Colombia, although less prone to coffee cultivation as a consequence of its limited space in the mountain range, gives a small but significant production of beans that are very neutral in all aspects.
Its main use can vary from occasional ingestion as an auxiliary flavour in different types of confectionary foods, as its properties are not invasive to the rest of the flavours, but rather it integrates and enhances the taste.
(Featured image photo: Isaac Sloman/ Unsplash.com)
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