Common sense of coffee beans: the relationship between the altitude of coffee growth and coffee flavor

We should all understand that raw coffee beans are generally classified according to raw bean size, defect rate and altitude. Many people do not quite understand why some producing areas should take the growth altitude of coffee beans as the basis for grading. Many coffee sellers also advertise their coffee as high-altitude coffee and sell it at a high price, which is also the most common problem encountered in grading to students.

Why grade coffee beans on the basis of elevation?

First of all, we should realize that the influence of geographical location on the flavor of coffee beans is profound. All coffee grows in the tropics. In fact, altitude has no direct effect on coffee. However, altitude can affect the growth, development and quality of coffee through the redistribution of meteorological elements (temperature, light, heat, wind speed, rainfall, etc.).

The tropical region between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Cancer produces the world's truly high-quality Arabica coffee in Central and South America, South Asia and some Pacific islands, central and southern Africa is also the most important coffee growing area in the world. 3000-6000 feet (2000 meters) high altitude provides ideal conditions for coffee growth: an average frost-free climate of 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit (15-21) throughout the year and about 80 inches of moderate rainfall In addition, the coffee beans in the mountainous areas with abundant sunshine and low temperature grow slowly, and the slow ripening process makes the coffee beans have higher sugar content, more interesting flavor, higher displacement at higher altitude, and more concentrated fruit flavor. the best Arabica coffee growing areas have very fertile soil and tend to be in volcanic areas.

Coffee beans grown at high elevations are hard, dense, and have the potential to give play to a special flavor. the really amazing coffee growing areas are at high altitude. these beans are picked carefully only in the mature season, generally with the increase in altitude. The aroma of coffee will become more and more prominent and unique (see figure) from the temperature and sweetness of Brazilian beans at a low altitude of 3500 feet to a surge in the taste of Ethiopian coffee beans above 6000 feet. Altitude will give coffee beans a more complex and subtle taste.

The rating of Central American coffee is based on the altitude at which the coffee grows.

Mexico, Honduras, Haiti and other countries are rated at a high level.

Strictly High Grown (SHG), followed by High Grown (HG)

Mexico is called Altura, which means high in Spanish, which means high-altitude coffee; Papua New Guinea adds the name "Mile High" to mark coffee beans grown in the highlands and mountains.

Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and other countries are classified as follows:

Grade growth height grade abbreviation

Strictly Hard Bean

(extremely hard beans) about 1372 to 1524m SHB

Good Hard Bean

(high hard bean) about 91401372m GHB

Hard Bean (hard bean) is about 610-914m HB

Pacific

(Pacific coastal area) about 300m to 1000m Pacific

Practice shows that the effect of altitude on quality has exceeded the effect of genotype on quality, and Viagra personally thinks that the classification of coffee beans based on altitude is more scientific and reasonable than that based on size and defect rate altitude. because to a certain extent, altitude classification is indirectly graded by taste, the beans with low altitude grow fast and large, and the defect rate can be changed by selection, but altitude can not be changed.

According to the measurement, compared with the same kind of coffee beans, the higher the altitude, the greater the acidity, the lower the concentration; on the contrary, the smaller the acidity, the higher the concentration, so high altitude coffee is very suitable for those who like sour taste and low concentration. It's your good coffee. For those who do not like the sour taste and require a high concentration of coffee, the higher the altitude, the less suitable the coffee is, no matter how high its quality is, it is also a waste product for yourself, so the choice of altitude should be determined according to the personal taste.

Secondly, how do we know if the coffee we buy is really high altitude? The calories on both sides of the Tropic of Cancer are relatively low, and most of them are less than 1000 meters in China, which are mainly distributed in Yunnan, so while making coffee well, we also need to understand the geography, climate and environment of the coffee producing area, do more and drink more in order to better understand the different flavor of coffee.