Low-altitude coffee beans-an introduction to the lowest coffee-growing continent in the world

Low-altitude coffee beans-introduction to the world's lowest coffee-growing continent

Coffee from this region also uses the "washing method": processed coffee beans, including Ethiopia and Kenya, where humans first encountered the magic of coffee, and now drinking coffee has been a part of Ethiopian life for centuries. Elaborate coffee rituals, including roasting, grinding and brewing, are still pillars of social life today. Coffee beans are carefully roasted in a metal tray over hot coals; water is heated in a clay coffee pot called JABENA. After roasting, the beans are ground using a simple tool similar to a pestle and then brewed. The whole ceremony lasted more than an hour, and several cups of coffee were served in a small hand-painted cup for everyone to enjoy. Kenyan coffee is grown in Africa's second-highest mountain range, the Kenyan Mountains, and the coffee trees are three meters tall. Some of the world's best coffee is grown between Mount Kenya and the capital city of Nairobi, accounting for 85 percent or more of Kenya's annual coffee harvest, with the rest grown in western Kenya, the Rift Valley and the Taita region.

The best quality coffee beans are usually firm and grow at altitudes above 4500 meters. These beans grow extremely slowly, so the density of the beans is high, and the gaps in the middle of the beans should be curved. In contrast, coffee beans grown at lower elevations tend to have a lower density and a slightly open gap in the middle. As for the color of the beans, the growing environment of coffee beans and the processing technology of green beans will affect the color of coffee beans. If the beans from the same plantation are treated differently, for example, one batch is washed with water and the other with honey, the color of the beans will be completely different. In general, bean density is the strongest indicator of elevation. Simply put, the higher the elevation at which coffee beans are grown, the better they taste. Coffee beans carefully cared for and grown at high altitudes are pleasant in acidity, rich in aroma and rich in taste, and everyone loves them. Conversely, coffee grown at low altitudes has almost no acidity, a single taste, and a flat taste. That's why baristas always emphasize altitude. If your barista tells you that your coffee is grown at an altitude of 5200 meters, it's definitely worth savoring.

Altitude is only one of many factors in coffee quality, but it is definitely the most important one. The next time you go to a coffee shop, ask the barista to explain the origin of the cup of coffee for you. This will not only enrich your coffee knowledge, but also enhance your overall coffee experience!