Colombian coffee has a mystique to it. Let´s find out if it´s true.Colombian coffee is known throughout the world. What´s surprising then, is that until fairly recently, getting a decent cup of coffee was harder than you might expect. For a bit of nostalgia, below is a picture of the quintessential "Willys" that were originally imported by the military in 1946. They were later embraced by coffee farmers for their qualities suited to the mountainous terrain in the coffee region. They were up to the tough workloads of coffee production and are said to last up to 50 years! 
Average Size of Colombian Coffee Farm4 hectares - that's it. There are roughly 500,000 coffee producers in Colombia, which accounts for the small average size of the farms. As a comparison, Hacienda Venecia that we visited in the coffee region, has 160 hectares of land dedicated to growing coffee.Altitude and ClimateThe altitude and climate in Colombia are ideal for growing coffee beans; its equatorial location with the Andes mountains running through most of the West of the country ensure this. We receive plenty of sun and rain, with cooler climates at high altitude. Much of the soil is volcanic and extremely fertile.Preparation of a traditional Colombian "Tinto":
Arabica beanColombia produces only the high quality Arabica coffee beans that come in the following varieties; Typica, Comun, Bourbon, Caturra, Colombia and Maragogipe. This is the key to its fame for producing good coffee.Zona CafeteraThe Zona cafetera, is the area to the south of Medellin known for being the heart of Colombian coffee country and consists of three departments; Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio.The main cities in the area are Armenia, Manizales and Pereira, of which I recommend Manizales. Pereira is alright but Armenia does not offer much. I would not really recommend spending much time in the latter two cities. It's the surrounding area that's worth seeing. Driving to the region from Medellin takes from 4-6 hours. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with excellent roads and infrastructure due to the amount of tourism, mainly from Colombia, and also because of its importance as an agricultural region. It accounts for half the coffee production of the entire country but comprises only a tiny fraction in area. There are numerous hotels in the region such as the Hacienda San Jose, which is a converted Coffee Hacienda with old wooden floors and balconies running along the rooms on the second floor. I strongly recommend you visit this region if traveling to Colombia. Alternatively, there's the Hacienda Venecia, which is a fully operational coffee farm that gives tours with great insight into the
history of Colombian Coffee,
and seconds as a small hotel.
Biggest Coffee Producers in the WorldThe biggest coffee producers are as follows:
Biggest Importers of Coffee
Colombia does not roast the bulk of their own beans but instead, exports them after the drying process. Juan ValdezThe Colombian National Federation of Coffee Producers has several sub-divisions such as a research division, co-operatives and the Juan Valdez brand that is the “face” of Colombian coffee.They roast their beans domestically and Juan Valdez cafes are now found all over the country and serve great coffee. Where available, they give 30 minutes of free wi-fi when you make a purchase with them. “Tinto” (Black)The local “tinto” has nothing to do with espresso or a dark roast - the difference can come as quite a surprise! In rural areas, expect the regular “tinto”. It's fine once you know what you're getting and is often served in agua panela, which is water boiled with raw sugar cane to give it sweetness.Over the years, it has become much easier to get good coffee at restaurants, hotels and cafes. This is another of the many changes I've seen since first arriving in 1999. It may seem like a small detail, but these little touches add up to the whole experience of living or traveling here. If you want coffee with milk, order a “cafe” or for a black coffee, ask for a “tinto”. It's not intuitive, but that's how it works.
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