Clouds in my coffee
When it comes to cups of coffee, sure it’s the same drink, but…
why are there so many varieties?
And why do they all have different tastes, characters and feels. What makes one walnut and another wine? What gives?
What is causing all this intrigue!?
Well…it’s a long list! But in this edition of our Coffee Q series, we’ll start with a biggy — how the climate of the region where the coffee is actually grown plays a pivotal role in shaping its taste and character.
You see, coffee is not just a beverage (but then, as a coffee lover, you knew that); it is a product of Mother Nature and her delicate dance of sunlight, rainfall, altitude, and temperature. There’s a lot of moving parts making that brew you’re drinking, and big plantations can grow a very different taste on one side of the property to the other, so you can see how they all add up!
1. There’s Always Some Latitude:
The distance from the equator, expressed in terms of latitude, has a profound impact on coffee cultivation. Coffee is predominantly grown in the "bean belt”, a band that sits snugly between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
Within this belt, the altitude at which coffee is grown further refines its taste. Higher altitudes generally result in a slower bean development, allowing more time for the sugar and oil to concentrate in the beans, in turn, this slow maturation process often leads to a denser and more complex flavour profile.
OHCO thinks: The higher the better!
2. Hot Stuff Coming Through:
Temperature is another super-crucial factor, influencing the chemical reactions that occur within the coffee bean as it grows and ripens. The balance between daytime warmth and cooler nights dictate the development of the bean’s sugars and acids, both essential components of a coffee's flavour.
Warmer temperatures can lead to a quicker maturation process, resulting in brighter acidity, while cooler temperatures may produce a more nuanced and balanced cup.
OHCO thinks: A Goldilocks vibe
3. Rainfall and Humidity:
Coffee plants thrive in regions with very clear-cut wet and dry seasons. The amount and distribution of rainfall throughout the year impacts the moisture content of the soil and, naturally, inside the coffee bean itself.
During the growing season you want consistent and predictable rainfall. BUT a well-defined dry period following on from that is equally important for the coffee cherries (you know coffee is a fruit not a bean right?) for them to ripen properly and to keep all that taste locked-in.
Too much rain can lead to over-hydration, diluting flavours for a thinner taste, or even worse, potentially causing defects in the beans. A long hot dry spell can evaporate all that good stuff before harvest.
OHCO thinks: Four Seasons in One Bean
4. Soil Composition:
Like any vineyard, the composition of a plantation’s soil significantly influences the flavour profile of the beans. Volcanic soils for example, are known for imparting unique mineral characteristics to the coffee. OHCO’s own Guatemala ASDECAFE blend benefits from amazing mineralogy of the host country, one defined by its landscape, notably its many mountains, some of which are active volcanoes like Pacaya, Fuego, and Santiaguito.
A soil's ability to retain water and nutrients also plays a role in the overall health and vitality of the coffee plants, ultimately affecting the taste of the final brew. A very fine line is trod — too clogging and it keeps too much moisture and the bean can even rot — too dry and dusty, and all that goodness just seeps away!
OHCO THINKS: Very Down To (the) Earth
5. Sunlight Exposure:
We all love the sunshine right? And coffee does too! The amount of sunlight a coffee plant receives directly affects its photosynthesis power and, consequently, the flavour development in the beans.
Worth noting, that while coffee requires ample sunlight to ensure a healthy plant, excessive exposure can lead to plant-stress and uneven ripening. Shade-grown coffees on the other hand, where there’s plenty of natural tree canopies keeping them cool, give your bean a more gradual ripening process, resulting in a cup with milder acidity and a nuanced flavour profile. Too little though, and it will never grow to be big and strong, and neither will the taste.
OHCO THINKS: Sun Factor
6. Microclimates and Terroir:
This is trickier (and more pretentious sounding) to define, it’s not a ‘big-ticket’ influence like country or altitude — but this is where all those subtle differences in feel and taste within the same country, even the same plantation, occur.
The concept of terroir, borrowed from the world of wine, encapsulates the unique environmental factors of a specific location that impact the taste of the final product. Factors such as nearby bodies of water, prevailing winds, and the surrounding flora all contribute to the terroir of a coffee-producing region.
Same with the terrain, valleys, forests, shady mountains all add up to create a climate than can be very different to one only a few miles down the road.
OHCO THINKS: Like a Fine Wine
In a nut, or bean shell, like our sommelier brothers & sisters, we at OHCO are amazed at how much all of the above add up to unique coffee experiences. The climate of the region where coffee is grown is a masterful orchestrator, conducting a symphony in every cup.
Equatorial warmth to high-altitude coolness, light and shade, dry and wet — we’ve got to know a lot of what works best from our producers — and we’re always fascinated to follow how they develop and refine their processes for the next harvest and using that knowledge (and not pesticides) to make next years growth even better.
OHCO THINKS: We Need a Coffee!
“The climate of the region where coffee is grown is a masterful orchestrator, conducting a symphony in every cup”
Always take the weather with you! Go globetrotting with the amazing varieties of OHCO, check out our shop page and discover your favourite season!
