Why is Organic Mexican Coffee so popular? A little education please!
The Big Guy & I are loving our organic Mexican coffee here in Merida. We enjoy walking the neighborhoods in search of the next local coffee shop to try out!
The Big Guy prefers his coffee HOT! The hotter the better with very little, if any, sugar. I, on the other hand, love a good cup of joe with sugar & sometimes a little cream – depending on my mood for the day. Ha.
Just prior to landing in Mexico, The Big Guy had started experimenting with ice coffee drinks. Yes! I, on the other hand, appreciate a good iced or frappe coffee. The ongoing joke is ‘Holly, how come every time you order an ‘ice’ coffee, it looks like a milk shake?’ Hmmm. I don’t know, its like I have a sign on my forehead [coffee/whip cream/chocolate please].. How do you like your coffee?
We’ve posted about a few coffee shops we have found here in Merida but, today, we are going to chat about what we have learned from our favorite local coffee bean roaster, Rafael. Are organic Mexican coffee beans the best?
Rafael operates “Corazon de Cafe”, [de Cafe means ‘the heart of the coffee bean’]. This shop roasts & sells a huge variety of organic Mexican coffee beans. Every time we stop in for coffee, we try a different coffee drink slowly working our way thru the various beans while Rafael educates us on the types of coffee beans he sells. Truly, enjoying a cup of coffee at this coffee shop & conversing with Rafael is an educational experience. Enough said. Let’s get started!
Are coffee beans a fruit?
If it makes coffee, why is the bean called a cherry? Are coffee beans a fruit? Coffee beans are not really beans, they are seeds from the coffee plant. It threw me off guard when Rafael first referred to the cherries. Once the outer covering of the ‘cherry’ or coffee bean turns yellow to red, the ‘cherries’ are ready to be picked, after which the ‘seed’ is processed to become coffee. It really depends on what you read. Although it is red upon picking, it is not something you would pop into your mouth for a bite….looks like a fruit….doesn’t taste like a fruit…your take – is it or isn’t it?
A Little History About Organic Mexican Coffee Beans
Although coffee cafes are still a fairly new business in the Yucatan, coffee bean farms have been around for a while. They were introduced to Mexico in the 1700’s when beans were brought over by the Spaniards.
With over half a million small farms growing coffee beans for their economic existence, it is a still a continual challenge for survival. Chiapas & Oaxaca in Southern Mexico are famous for their coffee but at same time are two of the poorest states in Mexico. Think about that? Some stats rank Mexico in the top five to ten providers of quality coffee beans! Scratching my head on the unfairness of economic benefit to the farmers.
I do understand that even with Fair Trade Organization making a sustainable living for the coffee bean farmer is not guaranteed. Under Fair Trade coffee farmers are contracted to sell coffee at a certain price to buyers which sounds great when the price of coffee is up. Honest negotiations are a necessity to make this work though. Supply & demand also plays a huge part in pricing. If prices of coffee go up & the farmer is under contract to sell at a lower price then he may come out on the losing end. Fair Trade is definitely a step in the right direction but still has a way to go in my mind. To get more info check this out.
What is Organic Mexican Coffee Beans & Where do beans grow?
Organic coffee beans are simply coffee trees grown without chemical pesticides, etc.
Coffee beans grow in trees & need a lot of water. The perfect place for growth in Mexico is in southern Mexico. Chiapas & Oaxaca are famous for their coffee beans grown in the high mountain ranges which provides the permit growing weather for the trees to flourish.
How are coffee beans harvested?
Not surprising at all, trees once planted take between 4-7 years to mature, then starts the process of beans growing in clusters with harvesting sometime between September thru March. The cherries start out green, then yellow eventually to the bold red that is ready for picking.
Coffee beans can be harvested two ways – traditionally by hand or by strip picking. Harvesting by hand allows you to pick only the red or yellow beans or ‘cherries’ that are ready to pick leaving the others to ripen. But this process is more labor intensive & expensive with farmers having to go back numerous times to check for ripe cherries. Strip picking is basically a machine shaking the tree so ALL berries fall. I guess you have to weigh your odds on which process to use. I see benefits in each but lean toward the traditional… Using the strip method it seems there would be less product to market vs picking only when the cherry is ready…
How many types of organic Mexican coffee beans are there? How are they different from each other?
There are many varieties of coffee beans available right here in Mexico. These are just a few of the more popular ones that you can find at Corazone de Cafe in Merida!
- Oaxaca Coffee Beans – Tlaxiaco / Santa Maria / Pluma– grown on slopes of central mountains in state of Oaxaca, these beans are known for their light body & light acidity.
- Chiapas Coffee Beans – Bourbon /Mundo Novo / Soconusco – grown in the state of Chiapas, this coffee bean is known for its light delicate flavor with aroma of chocolate & vanilla. It is said that the volcanoes nearby contribute nutrients that add to this bean.
- Verecruz Coffee Beans – Coatepec – grown on Gulf side nearby mountainous area & famous for the Altura Coatepec which is known for its nutty flavor, light body & chocolate undertones.
- And on and on and on.
Our personal favorite at the moment is Oaxaca’s Tlaxiaco! Not to strong & I can easily drink it with just a tad of sugar!
Miscellaneous Coffee Bean Trivia
There is no such thing as a decaffeinated coffee bean. To make a decaf coffee the beans go through a chemical process of soaking, usually methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, before roasting to remove the caffeine – making it decaf & non-organic. Personally, just reading the names of those two chemicals makes me shy of even wanting to taste a decaf coffee. If the decaf coffee is labeled naturally decaffeinated or Swiss Water processed, then no chemicals were used. For really a interesting read on caffeine removal, check out this BBC article.
Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica & Jamaica are quality coffee bean providers as well. For more details on these coffee beans check this out.
Finally – Should You buy Mexican Coffee Beans directly from Roaster?
The short answer is YES! To get the best quality of Mexican coffee bean is to buy from your local roaster. He buys the beans green but once the beans are roasted the beans start losing flavor within weeks, even if properly stored. Ground beans start losing their flavor almost within days! Support local businesses!
There are three levels of roasting once the bean is picked & goes thru the drying phase – Light, Medium & Dark as seen in this chart.
When you think about the process of how long it took that bag of coffee beans on the grocery shelf get to that point it could have been many weeks! By time you get the coffee home, you may end up with a very blah cup of coffee! Of course, not everyone can walk a few blocks to pick up fresh roasted beans but buying directly from a roaster makes perfect sense for us here in Merida!
I hope you enjoyed this little education on organic Mexican coffee beans! No matter where you are located, check out your local roaster & support your local coffee cafes!
If you are in Merida, check out Rafael’s coffees at Corazón de cafe, Boutique y Tostaduria, Calle 22 #44, Merida.