The influence of Geography and Climate on the Coffee producing areas of the Galapagos Islands

Located on the Pacific coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands (Galapagos) consists of 13 major islands, 6 smaller islands and numerous small islands. About 135 years ago, the first coffee seeds were brought here from French colonies in the Caribbean (stopped in Panama along the way). These are the seeds of bourbon, which is still the main variety grown on these islands today.

Although coffee grows in hot climates, coffee grown at lower temperatures is generally of better quality. This is because beans ripen more slowly, resulting in more sugar and complexity. Generally speaking, the higher the altitude, the lower the temperature. However, it depends on the latitude of the country. The farther away from the equator, the cooler the temperature. As a result, coffee grown at low altitudes in Hawaii is sweeter than coffee grown in high elevations in Venezuela.

The Galapagos Islands are located on the equator, which means that there is strong sunlight from 6am to 6pm, little change throughout the year, and the low altitude makes people think that the coffee quality will be poor. But the islands are exposed to intense sunlight, but not to intense heat. This is due to the Humboldt trend. This is a low-salinity current that flows northward along the west coast of South America, from the southern cone to northern Peru, and then to the Galapagos Islands. It brings a cool sea breeze and lowers the ground temperature. This is one of the reasons why low-altitude coffee in the Galapagos Islands can be tasted and roasted like high-altitude coffee in other parts of the Americas.

■ altitude: 350m

■ harvest period: June-September, December-February

■ variety: bourbon

■ flavor: caramel, high aroma and good acidity