When was coffee introduced to Colombia?

Now, here’s a twist you might not have seen coming! The credit for introducing coffee to Colombia in the 18th Century is attributed to… Jesuit missionaries. Quite a surprising turn of events, isn’t it? According to legend, Jesuit Priest Francisco Romero instructed his parishioners in a small town called Salazar de Las Palmas to plant coffee as penance for their sins. This led to the spread of coffee production across other provinces before the whole country was hooked!

In 1835, Colombian coffee made its mark on the world. Its initial export of 2,500 pounds of coffee to the USA ignited the coffee trade industry. With exports on the rise and the construction of a new railway and the Panama Canal, Colombian coffee became highly sought after worldwide. By the end of the 19^th century, production had skyrocketed from 60,000 bags to over 600,000!

How did the coffee industry grow and adapt to this demand?

In the beginning, coffee was cultivated by a small number of large-scale farms known as haciendas, which employed local farmers, peasants, and formerly enslaved people to look after the crop. A handful of independent farmers with small plots of land also grew coffee alongside their families. However, the Great Depression brought a drastic fall in international market prices and smallholder farms were favoured over these haciendas.

A collective of coffee producers, recognizing the need for unity, formed the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) to address this issue. The aim of this federation was to advocate for Colombian farmers, promoting and negotiating fair prices for their coffee, and thus, preventing these haciendas from financial ruin. This collective action demonstrated the power of unity and the resilience of the Colombian coffee industry.

To help this issue further and regulate coffee production, the government bought the haciendas and divided them into smaller plots of land. These could then be used to grow coffee or other crops. This tactic saved this otherwise abandoned land and gave stability to the local farmers’ livelihood as they could continue to work.

Why does Colombian coffee taste so good?

We can’t deny that Colombian coffee is up there as one of our favourites! We typically always have at least one in our lineup; however, at the moment, we have two (as who can resist a decaf that tastes like the real deal!). Located near the equator, Colombia’s landscape, vegetation, altitude and temperature provide the perfect growing combination for creating delicious coffees.

With five coffee-growing regions, most coffee plants are protected by shade cast by indigenous planet life and mountains. Sheltered from constant sunlight, the cherries can ripen slowly, allowing more time for the coffee beans to absorb all the flavours from the fruit. Combined with a high growing altitude and cooler climate, you can expect beans with greater acidity, clean taste and aroma.

Having a variety of growing regions means there is never a shortage of coffee. There are multiple harvests throughout the year across the country with a wide range of varieties. Castillo, Typica, Bourbon and Caturra are all varieties you will find in this region. Most producers are smallholders or co-operatives, farming small plots of land independently.

So, you said Two Chimps has two Colombian coffees…where can I find them?

Introducing our caffeinated Colombian brew, perfect for zapping you awake in the mornings, The Cat’s Ski Jacket! Cultivated in Piendamo, this brew has a smooth toffee base balanced by a zesty lemon and crispy acidity. You can expect a clean, bright taste too! Yum!

We always ensure we have our decaf drinkers covered, too, so say hello to 3 o’clock at night, a creamy, nutty, malty brew from Lavado. With a soft, lemony finish, this coffee has been naturally decaffeinated with the sugarcane process. You’ll find no nasty chemically decaffeinated brews around here, folks!

So those are our two Colombia brews, but we have one more trick up our sleeve…our half-caff! The Two Horned Unicorn was created by combining our Brazilian caffeinated beans with our Colombian decaf 3 o’clock at night. The result? An awesome coffee that tastes amazing with half the caffeine! This is perfect if you are trying to reduce your caffeine intake.