Columbia Coffee Capital-medellin production area Story Colombian Coffee growing area Culture

Located in a narrow valley between two Andean ridges, the Colombian city of Medellin is a prosperous metropolis with a population of more than 2.5 million. Because of its mild and pleasant climate, it is also known in Colombia as la ciudad de eterna primavera, or the City of Eternal Spring.

Like ​​ in many Colombian cities, Medellin has a strong coffee culture, from bitter, strong Tintos served on street corners to fast-growing boutique coffee shops. For Medellin, however, coffee is more than just a drink; it is a way of life related to the production of Antioquia and the consumption of the city itself.

Thanks to the good climate of the region and the fertile mountain terrain nearby, coffee has a long and successful history in Medellin and the wider Antioquia region.

At the turn of the 20th century, Antioquia overtook the Caldas region to become Colombia's leading coffee growing region. Soon, it was recognized for providing consistent high-quality beans. In addition to gold mining, the production of coffee has made a great contribution to the growth of the region throughout the century. There are so many kinds of coffee in Colombia that there are even rosy summer varieties.

Medellin has always been the capital of coffee in the eyes of many Colombians.

Colombia produces more than 1300 million bags of 60 kg coffee each year, accounting for about 10 per cent of global coffee production (according to 2019 data). However, despite the large scale of production and exports, coffee consumption in Colombia is quite different (like many other producing countries), with a per capita consumption of about 2 kg.

In recent years, however, coffee consumption has begun to increase, thanks in part to activities and initiatives supported by FNC.

Ilse Geyskens, owner of El Poblado Cafe Velvet, says the long history of coffee production in Antioquia has played a key role in driving Medellin's coffee consumption.

Over time, Colombia has a reputation for producing some of the world's finest coffee and exporting it in large quantities. After Brazil, it is the largest coffee producer in Latin America and the third largest coffee producer in the world.

Antioquian coffee producers are usually small farmers who grow coffee at high altitudes and relatively low temperatures, both of which are well suited for producing quality Arabica coffee. These conditions cause cherries to ripen more slowly, producing strong flavors and unique aromas.

However, although Colombian coffee has traditionally been sold to consumer markets around the world with high quality, Colombians traditionally do not drink boutique coffee.

This depends in part on the country's export quality standards. Coffee beans above certain quality standards are marked for export, which is very similar to Blue Mountain Coffee, and the standards for exported products are very high. Coffee beans that are lower than certain quality standards are reserved for domestic use.

Therefore, historically, it has been difficult for Colombians to obtain high-quality coffee, whether in coffee shops or at home.

Coffee in the country has traditionally been consumed as tinto, a thick espresso that is usually sold on street corners in heated flasks. Tinto is usually made from low-quality coffee reserved for internal consumption, and sugar is usually added to mask its strong bitterness.

Like any other city, Medellin is divided into many unique neighborhoods. Everyone has their own unique personality and characteristics, which makes the city has a unique coffee culture today. It's like different manning coffees have different names. As for the city's boutique coffee shops, their preferences and trends are similar to those of large coffee consumers, but they are still rooted in the appreciation of high-quality local coffee. Many people in the city are proud to celebrate the work of the country's coffee producers by providing high-quality Colombian coffee. In the end, the core of the Medellin coffee experience is a simple appreciation of well-made drinks. This resonates with the broader global profession and the third wave of coffee culture.