Why coffee beans are better at higher altitude

Why coffee beans are better at higher altitude

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. In contrast, coffee beans grown at low elevations usually have a lower density and slightly open gaps in the middle. As for the color of the bean, the growing environment of the coffee bean and the processing technology of the raw bean will affect the color of the coffee bean. If the same kind of coffee beans produced on the same plantation are treated differently, for example, one batch is washed with water and the other batch is treated with honey, then the colors of the two batches of beans will be very different. Generally speaking, the density of bean body is the most powerful basis to judge the altitude of coffee bean growth. 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.

Although altitude is only one of the many factors to measure the quality of coffee, it is definitely the most important one. The next time you go to the coffee shop, please ask the barista to tell you the origin of the coffee in the cup, which will not only enrich your coffee knowledge, but also improve your overall coffee experience!

Coffee beans grown at high elevations are hard, dense and have the potential to give full play to their special flavor. The really amazing coffee growing areas are between 4000 and 6000 feet above sea level, and these beans are picked carefully only during the mature season. Coffee in Central America is rated according to the altitude at which it grows. For example, SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) is the term for Guatemalan coffee beans, indicating that coffee grows above 4500 feet. Mexico is called Altura, which means "high" in Spanish, indicating that it is high-altitude coffee; Papua New Guinea appends the name "Mile High" to mark coffee beans grown in the highlands and mountains.