Are you looking for coffee that is well balanced and delicious? Look no further than South American coffee! Coffee connoisseurs around the globe look to South American countries to produce some of the best coffee beans in the world. The countries and regions in South America produce different beans of different flavor profiles, but they are all unique and well-loved. Take your taste buds on a journey to Latin America as you find your favorite South American beans for your morning coffee. What is South American Coffee? South American coffee is coffee made from beans that are grown and produced in South American countries. This includes the entire region from Colombia and Venezuela down to Argentina and Chile. While not all South American countries grow their own coffee beans, all countries drink and prepare their coffee in different ways that are unique to their culture and history. The History of South American Coffee While many mistakenly think that coffee plants are native to South American countries, they were brought to South America in the 18th century by European colonizers. It is widely believed that coffee plants are native to Africa, specifically Ethiopia, and were spread throughout the world through trade and colonialization. Given the ideal warm climates of many South American countries, coffee plants flourished and continue to thrive and make up a significant portion of these countries’ exports. There are hundreds of small micro farms and large farms in South America supplying coffee to the rest of the world. How Much Coffee Comes from South America? About 46% of the world's coffee harvest comes from South America, making it the region that produces the most coffee. Usually, South America produces around 70 to 80 million 60 kg bags of coffee a year, contributing to supermarket shelves and coffee roasters. Brazil is the world’s top coffee producer and is responsible for around 39% of the world’s coffee supply. Central American vs. South American Coffee While many may get Central American and South American coffee confused, they are separate regions, with Central American coffee including production regions from Panama to Mexico. The characteristics of Central American coffee are different from those of South American coffee, as they tend to have a lighter body with cleaner and crisper notes and higher acidity. Do not be fooled by Costa Rica and Colombia’s close proximity – they yield very different beans! Is South American Coffee Good? South American coffee beans are widely sought after and are high-quality. The climate of many South American countries is ideal for growing quality beans as they are at the right temperature, have a good amount of rainfall, and are at the right altitude. The rich, volcanic soil in many South American countries also contributes to the quality of the coffee beans, as it produces a unique and complex flavor. Most of the coffee beans grown in South America are arabica beans, which are typically cultivated at higher altitudes. Arabica coffee is often revered as the best and smoothest type of coffee bean. That being said, many South American countries also produce bold robusta beans at lower altitudes. South American Coffee Notes While flavor notes and profiles differ by country, region, crop, and farm, South American beans have some notes that can generally be tasted. Typically, South American coffee is well-balanced and low in acidity and often has nutty, caramel, or chocolate notes. These tasting notes tend to be mellow yet well-loved, which is why it is so popular. South American coffee usually also has a medium body and roast style, but it can vary. Which South American Countries Produce the Most Coffee? Out of all the countries in South America, only a handful are responsible for the total coffee production; these are: Brazil Colombia Peru Venezuela Ecuador All About Coffee from Brazil Flavor notes: Chocolate, nuts, spices, citrus Acidity level: low to medium Starting with the most popular South American coffee, Brazilian coffee is well-loved because of its warm, nutty notes. In some high-quality Brazilian coffee beans, there are subtle spice notes, and beans grown at higher altitudes can have citrus top notes. Brazil uses a dry or natural processing method on its coffee beans, meaning that they are typically dried in the sun instead of washed. Since there is so much coffee exported from Brazil, the quality can be inconsistent between different regions and farms. That being said, if you can source quality Brazil single-origin coffee, you will be delighted with the comforting flavors and smooth brew. Brazilian coffee is also used in many espresso blends and house blends as it features notes that go well with most other flavors and beans from other regions. Some broken fragments of Brazilian beans are even used in some lower-quality instant coffees, but Brazilian beans can also be used in very high-quality blends. Brazilian Coffee Regions Since Brazil is so large, individual states in the country have many different micro regions where different coffee can be found. However, there are five states where coffee plants are typically grown: Minas Gerais – Brazil’s coffee epicenter, this region encompasses flat farmland and mountains, and the coffee ranges from warm and nutty to fruity São Paulo – this region yields lightly sweet coffee with chocolate, nut, and spice notes from the volcanic soil Espírito Santo – known for both arabica and robusta beans, this region grows highly acidic and floral arabica in the mountains and nutty, chocolatey robusta beans Bahia – featuring micro farms and small cooperatives, this region boasts fruity and acidic coffee as well as specialty nut and chocolate tasting coffee beans Paraná – highly sought after, beans from this region are super smooth and have low acidity Our Favorite Brazilian Coffee Beans Brazil Oberon – Coming from Oberon, Brazil, which is in the Cerrado region of the Minas Gerais state, we love this coffee because of its chocolate and citrus notes. A light to medium roast with light acidity, this coffee is a crowd-pleaser. Brazil Matas de Minas – This coffee was grown by award-winning Roseangela Moura Alves as part of a micro-lot in Matas de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The specialty brew is a light to medium roast with intense flavors and sweet aromas of black tea, lemonade, and orange. All About Coffee from Colombia Flavor notes: Fruit, chocolate, floral, nuts, citrus Acidity level: medium to high Since Colombian coffee beans are grown at higher altitudes, they tend to have fruity notes and higher acidity. Colombia’s economy relies heavily on the export of coffee beans, which are mostly grown on smaller farms and in family operations. This means that there is higher quality and consistency around the board, as beans are hand-picked and processed. Colombian coffee beans can vary greatly in flavor notes by altitude, but most have some chocolate and fruit notes. It is popular for Colombian beans to be lightly roasted, but medium and darker roasts tend to bring out more nutty caramelization. The growing conditions in Colombia mean that farmers have been able to produce some of the most unique and sought-after coffee beans on Earth. Colombian Coffee Regions Coffee regions in Colombia can be split into micro regions, but are most often referred to as large, direction-based zones. These zones are: The North zone – produced in lower altitudes and higher temperatures, coffee from this zone has a heavier body and higher acidity The Central North and Central South zones – much of this coffee is grown in shade and is harvested twice a year The South zone – popular for high-quality coffee, this region produces beans that have a sharper acidity and flavorful tasting notes The Eastern zone – this region produces the smallest amount of coffee but is being developed to grow more coffee varieties Our Favorite Colombian Coffee Beans Colombian Supremo – This high-quality coffee is sourced from multiple regions in Colombia and produces a light roast with a clean finish, blueberry and chocolate notes, and high acidity. RFA Colombia – Rainforest Alliance certified and undeniably smooth, this medium roast is grown in multiple regions across Colombia and is extremely well-balanced and clean. All About Coffee from Peru Flavor notes: Chocolate, nuts, citrus, vanilla Acidity level: Low to medium Peru was one of the first South American countries to grow coffee, and the mastery is shown in their high-quality coffee beans. Most Peruvian coffee has chocolate and nutty notes, and coffee grown in higher altitudes may even have citrusy and bright flavors. In 2003, there was a massive fair-trade coffee movement in Peru, which resulted in most Peruvian coffee beans being made with fair working conditions and pay. There is also a significant organic movement in this country, so you are more likely to see certified organic Peruvian coffee. Peruvian Coffee Regions There are thirteen regions in Peru that all grow high-quality and delicious coffee beans. Over 87% of Peruvian coffee is grown in these regions: San Martín – popular for its caramel, nutty, and chocolatey notes, this region produces medium-bodied coffee beans Cajamarca – known for producing coffee with bright acidity, this region tends to grow beans that are sweet and have fruity top notes Junín – coffee from this region is very juicy with notes of yellow and red fruits with a creamy acidity Amazonas – this region boasts coffee beans that have nutty, balanced, and caramel-like notes Cusco – popular for coffee with notes of rich, dark fruits, this region produces beans with medium acidity and chocolate flavors Chanchamayo – known as the premium coffee region of Peru, coffee grown here tends to have a medium body, notes of chocolates, nuts, caramels, and apple, and have bright acidity. Our Favorite Peruvian Coffee Peru Atahualpa – Grown in the Chanchamayo and Junín regions and Pichanaqui cooperative, these medium-roast beans feature a bright acidity with tropical citrus and apricot top notes. All About Coffee from Venezuela Flavor notes: cereal, fruit, citrus Acidity level: medium to high but well-balanced Venezuela used to produce beans at similar rates to Colombia, but now that the country has turned to oil as an export, coffee production makes up 1% of the world’s total and is mostly consumed by Venezuelans. This doesn’t mean that Venezuelan coffee is anything to ignore, however, as it provides a naturally sweet and lightly rich cup. Venezuelan beans usually make a light-bodied brew that has a smooth mouthfeel, ranging from medium to high acidity. Usually, they offer clean cereal notes, sometimes featuring fruity or citrus flavors. Venezuelan Coffee Regions There are three regions in Venezuela that produce high-quality coffee: Andean Heights – coffee from this region is bright and clean, with fruit and citrus notes and a medium body Zulia – this region produces the popular Maracaibo coffee, which is rich and full-bodied with smooth chocolatey notes Coastal regions – offering a milder experience, these regions grow beans that have a more nuanced floral and caramel flavor All About Coffee from Ecuador Flavor notes: Chocolate, fruit, floral, jam Acidity level: Medium to high Ecuadorian coffee is typically grown in small farms throughout many different environmental regions and is often grown in the shade of tropical fruits and other Ecuadorian exports. For this reason, Ecuadorian coffee tends to be very diverse and complex. Usually, Ecuadorian coffee has a balanced acidity and juicy, jam-like fruit flavors. While it often has chocolate or caramel flavors present in South American coffee, the fruits and florals are where it stands out. Ecuadorian coffee is often used to make high-quality instant coffee that natives of the country like to drink. Ecuadorian Coffee Regions Coffee in Ecuador can be found growing in these five regions: Lowland coastal region – the most popular region to grow coffee in; these beans are fruity and unique Northern highlands – the beans from this region are usually medium in acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and body Southern highlands – this sweet coffee with high acidity is arguably the most special coffee that comes out of Ecuador Rainforest – the coffee produced in this region is most notably rich robusta coffee that is used to make strong instant coffee Galapagos – these islands and their volcanic soil are the perfect setting to produce well-balanced beans with low acidity Exploring these different coffee beans means exploring the regions and cultures in which they were grown. Each sip of South American coffee is a transportive experience that brings rich, nutty, and chocolatey flavors to your tongue. Whether you go for a warm and comforting South American blend or delve into single-origin coffee, your experience is sure to be unique and flavorful!