Coffee review

What does "altitude" have to do with the coffee we drink? Why "altitude" is important to

Published: 2024-11-18 Author: World Gafei
Last Updated: 2024/11/18, What does altitude have to do with the coffee we drink? Why is altitude so important for coffee? The importance of altitude, that is, the altitude at which coffee grows, will directly affect the size of coffee beans.

What does "altitude" have to do with the coffee we drink? Why is altitude so important for coffee?

The importance of altitude

Altitude, that is, the altitude at which coffee grows, will directly affect the size, appearance and taste of coffee beans. Of course, you can't just walk into the coffee shop and tell the barista how much altitude you want to drink, but understanding altitude can help you understand coffee better. Arabica coffee likes to grow in highlands with cool climates between 1800 and 6300 meters above sea level, while robusta coffee likes to grow in lowlands with warm climates between 2400 meters above sea level.

How to judge the altitude at which coffee grows?

Altitude will directly affect the appearance of coffee beans. When you take a closer look at raw coffee beans, you will find that the size and density of each kind of coffee are different. Are the coffee beans in your hand small and dense? Is the gap in the middle of the bean tightly closed or open? Is the gap straight or curved? Is the color of coffee beans close to jade, light green or blue? The shape characteristics of the bean body can directly reflect the growth altitude of coffee beans.

The best quality coffee beans are usually strong and grow at an altitude of more than 4500 meters. The growth of these coffee beans is very slow, so the density of the beans is very high, and the gap in the middle of the beans should be curved. Why the higher the altitude, the better?

To put it simply, the higher the altitude at which coffee beans grow, the better they taste. Coffee beans grown at high elevations have pleasant acidity, rich aroma and rich taste, which everyone likes; on the contrary, coffee grown at low elevations has almost no sour taste, single taste and plain taste. That's why baristas always emphasize altitude. If your barista tells you that your coffee grows on a plateau 5200 meters above sea level, then this cup of coffee is definitely worth savoring.

0