Where Does Our Mushroom Coffee Come From?
5 minute read
What is Coffee Exactly?
Coffee has a pretty amazing journey on its way to our cups!
Coffee beans come from the fruit of the Coffea plant. This plant produces coffee cherries and coffee beans are the seeds inside those cherries.
Once harvested, we roast, grind and brew them to make the familiar coffee we all know and love to drink!
Each stage of this process needs to be carefully planned to produce the perfect cup of coffee every time.
Where is Coffee Grown?
The Coffee Belt
Most coffee-growing nations sit along the Earth’s equator and within the continents of Africa, Asia, South America and Central America. Major coffee growing countries you’re sure to recognise from the front of your coffee jar include Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica and Indonesia.
Whilst in different continents, the thing which each of these countries has in common is that they are all positioned just above or below the equator, between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. This belt of land is known as the “Coffee Belt” or “Bean Belt” – an imaginary band which encompasses all of the major coffee growing nations.
The Perfect Climate for Growing Coffee
Of course, it’s no coincidence that the world’s major coffee producers are all located along the equator. It’s the climate here which makes growing coffee possible. Equatorial regions are great for growing coffee plants thanks to their tropical climate, but it’s not just the weather which seals the deal when it comes to good coffee.
Here are some of the key climate characteristics which help to produce the tastiest coffee beans:
1. Rainfall ☔
Continuous rainfall allows the beans to grow at a slow and steady pace. Allowing coffee beans to mature at a relaxed rate makes for a more concentrated and potent flavour.
Coffee is also planted in the wet season as the wet ground is easier to dig and helps the roots to spread out.
2. Hot Days and Cool Nights ☀️
Moderately sunny days and year-round temperatures between 21° and 29°C are ideal for coffee plants. Like all plants, they need sunlight to grow and the warm temperatures help coffee cherries to ripen.
Coffee grown in tropical mountainous regions benefits from hot days and cool nights. This difference in temperature has been shown to ‘shock’ the natural acids, aromatics and sugars in coffee beans to produce a deeper and more intense flavour.
3. Humidity 💧
Water vapour in the air helps to accelerate photosynthesis, the process by which coffee plants (and most plants) get the energy they need to grow.
The high humidity in tropical climates helps to produce larger coffee cherries that are deeper in colour and flavour.
4. Elevation ⛰️
In the world of coffee the higher the altitude the better the coffee beans!
Cooler temperatures in mountainous areas encourage coffee plants to grow slowly and devote more time to producing fruit (the beans) rather than just surviving. This increases the natural sugars in the fruit and intensifies their flavour.
Higher altitudes also benefit from better drainage, which reduces the water content in coffee cherries for a more concentrated flavour.
5. Soil Quality 🌱
Soil rich in nutrients is essential to grow a healthy coffee plant. Mountainous areas often have volcanic soil which is a rich source of beneficial minerals.
They also have a great pH level for coffee growing (between 4.9 to 5.6), which is slightly acidic and compliments the natural acidity of the coffee beans.
All of these factors influence the taste and characteristics of the coffee beans, so much so that coffee plants grown just a few metres apart could have completely different flavour profiles. Coffee is often compared with wine for this reason, because the end product is so impacted on by the land on which it is grown.
Where Our Coffee Comes From
Our instant Shroom Coffee blend is made using 100% Arabica coffee. Also known as “mountain coffee”, the Arabica species of the coffee plant is the most popular in the world, thriving at high altitudes for a distinct aromatic flavour.
Shroom Coffee Instant Arabica Coffee
We use single origin Organic Instant Arabica Coffee in our Shroom Coffee. It comes from Colombia, where it is grown within the Triángulo del Café or ‘coffee triangle’ – given this name because it consists of three major coffee growing regions which produce the vast majority of Colombian coffee.
Our Organic Arabica Coffee is grown at high altitudes and harvested from small family farms before we blend it with our mushroom extracts and Maca Root. It has an amazing aroma and flavour!
Choosing a premium coffee which has been grown in the ideal climate is so important to us and we hope that this is reflected in the amazing flavour of our Shroom Coffees.
Elevate your coffee routine today with the power of potent functional mushrooms and nature's finest superfoods.
