Colombian coffee

Colombian Coffee is a Protected designation of origin granted by the European Union (September 2007) that applies to the coffee produced in Colombia [Es iconcite web|url=http://actualidad.terra.es/nacional/articulo/union_europea_cafe_colombia_indicacion_1778987.htm| title=European Union gives to 'Café de Colombia' the protected denomination of origin|publisher=Terra| month = 13 August| year=2007|accessdate= 22 April| accessyear=2008 ] The Colombian coffee has been recognized worldwide as having high quality and distinctive taste. The main importers of Colombian coffee are United States, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

Description

Colombian coffee, also known as Colombian Mild, is characterized by its soft terroir. Only crops of Coffea arabica of Maragogype, Caturra, Typica and Bourbon cultivars, among others, are grown. When Colombian coffee is freshly roasted it has a bright acidity, is heavy in body and is intensely aromatic.

History

Coffee was first introduced to the country of Colombia in the early 1800s. The cultivation of coffee for trade purposes began around 1835 [ [http://www.guiadelcafe.com/article.php?sid=6 History of coffee and Economy of coffee in Colombia] , Coffee Guides] in Salazar de las Palmas, Norte de Santander. Throughout the 20th century, coffee was the main export from Colombia. In 1999, coffee represented 3.7% of the national income. The Protected Designation of Origin regions of coffee production in Colombia are: Norte de Santander, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, Tolima, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío and Cundinamarca.The region comprised of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío is known as the Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis, because of the many high-quality cultivated crops grown here. In 1999, an earthquake severely affected this region, but the area enjoyed a quick economic recovery (see 1999 Armenia earthquake).

Nearly 75% of the production is exported. The international market for coffee is regulated by Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia. Today Colombia accounts for about 12% of the coffee market (by value) in the world, second only to Brazil.

Harvesting process

The harvesters pick the coffee berries individually from the plant and pack them in fique sacks, carrying the fruits on their backs, or with help of pack animals, to the depulping machine. The pulp is used as compost, while the coffee beans are fermented in containers for 24 hours to enhance their quality.

After the fermentation, the coffee beans are washed with water to remove vegetative matter and damaged coffee beans. This step differentiates Colombian Mild Coffee from other mild non-washed coffees such as Mild Brazilian. The coffee beans must then be dried under direct sunlight, and covered during the night and when raining.

Roasting

The coffee beans had been roasted with charcoal in saucepans from the fourteenth century to the late nineteenth century, when the rotary gas-ignited oven was developed, which is still in use today. The oven roasts the beans at temperatures between convert|400|°F|°C|abbr=on and convert|425|°F|°C|abbr=on for 10 to 20 minutes. Roasting the coffee beans converts the starches into the aromatic oils which give the coffee its characteristic flavor. According with the type of roasting, from low roast to high roast, the coffee beans are classified as:

*Level: Cinnamon Roast. Aspect: Slightly roasted, Light cinnamon color. features: Nut flavor, High acidity
*Level: American Roast. Aspect: Mid Roasted, Chestnut color. Features: caramel flavor
*Level: City Roast. Aspect: Mid Roasted, medium brown, no oils on surface. features: Full coffee flavor, mid acidity.
*Level: Full City Roast. Aspect: Mid Roasted, medium-dark brown. Features: Full coffee flavor, low acidity
*Level: Vienna Roast. Aspect: Intense Roast, dark brown, traces of oil on surface. Features: Slightly bitter flavor
*Level: French Roast. Aspect: Intense Roast, dark brown-black, oily surface. features: Bitter flavor
*Level: Italian Roast. Aspect: Intense roast, bitter, black, oily surface. Features:Smoked flavor
*Espresso Roast. Aspect: Intense Roast, specific for espresso machines. features: Smoked sweet flavor. This is not an actual roast level, since there are many different styles to roast espresso from Full City to Italian.

Café de Colombia logo

Juan Valdez is the logo of Colombian coffee (Café de Colombia).

The Juan Valdez logotype was created by Doyle Dane Bernbach in March 1959. It includes the fictional character Juan Valdez, his mule Conchita, and the Colombian mountains in the background. It identifies the coffee products made with 100% Colombian coffee and approved by the National Federation of Coffee Growers.

Coffee research in Colombia

The National Center for Coffee Research (Spanish acronym CENICAFE) conducts research to modify varieties of Arabica for natural resistance to pests; one such improved varietal is the Colombia Variety (a modified Caturra which is resistant to Roya (Hemileia vastatrix). CENICAFE also develops defenses against the coffee borer beetle with biologic controls such as the Beauveria bassiana fungus.

The Tiwun Coffee

The Tiwun (from the Arhuaco language word for "origin") is an organic coffee produced by the Arhuaco people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Colombian government established this and other programs to prevent the production of narcotic crops, and to preserve the cultural heritage of the environmentally friendly agriculture of the indigenous people. The Tiwun is currently exported to Japan, USA and Europe. [http://www.cecodes.org.co/boletin2007/cafearhuaco.html]

References

External links

* [http://www.cafedecolombia.com/ Café de Colombia Official Webpage]