What the Colombians don’t know about coffee ain’t worth knowing, right?!
Good quality and great tasting coffee are undoubtedly one of Colombia’s biggest calling cards, and the country currently harbors almost half a million family-run coffee farms excelling in top-quality Arabica beans, which are one of the most favored coffee bean choices, owing to its sweetness, smooth flavor, and low acidity content. This can make choosing from the vast and plentiful options rather difficult!
Luckily for you, we’re avid in our love of great-tasting coffee, so whether you’re a fan of light, medium, or dark roast, we’ve decided to put together a little list of what we consider to be the best Colombian coffee available in 2022.
Best Colombian Coffee: Our Top 10
- Juan Valdez Organic Colombian Fairtrade Coffee (Medium Roast)
One of the most popular and well-known Colombian coffee brands, Juan Valdez medium roast organic coffee is known for its unrivaled good-quality and consistent coffee beans and has an incredible flavor and aroma, making mornings more pleasant for those who need a cup of joe to get the day started. We love that it’s Fairtrade and organic, too = ethical and chemical-free: win-win!
As it’s a medium roast, it’s not too rich or bitter. However, it’s worth noting that if you like your coffee with milk or cream, you may find this option a little on the mild side. It’s not the cheapest coffee beans either, so if budget is an issue, this one may be a bit steep.
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC Dark Colombian Supremo Coffee (Medium Roast)
These coffee beans may be a medium roast, but those who prefer milder coffee may want to give this one a miss – it’s dark and robust, with a notably smoky flavor, with undertones of cherry and honey to add a subtle but delicious injection of sweetness. And the best part? These beans are super inexpensive – but with all the consistent quality of pricier coffee brands.
It is also Fairtrade and Direct Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and USDA-certified.
Those who don’t enjoy a smoky flavor to their food or beverages may find this coffee, not to their taste.
- Peet’s Coffee Colombia Luminosa (Light Roast)
We love Peet’s, so it would be rude not to include them here somewhere!
Those who prefer their coffee on a lighter scale will delight in this smooth and sweet option. Lightly roasted coffee is known to be the most flavorful coffee out there because it is roasted for the least amount of time, so it doesn’t lose any of its delicious flavors that can be lost to the prolonged heat exposure of medium and dark roast coffee.
This Colombian coffee has a sweet flavor that can be ideal for those who prefer their coffee black, but for those who enjoy the typical nutty flavor that coffee is known for – or if you like milk, sugar, or cream in your coffee – this joe may lose all its ‘coffee-ness’ and be a bit heavy on the sweetness. It’s also a little pricey.
- Cubico Coffee Colombia (Medium Roast)
A coffee like no other, these Cubico coffee beans have a noticeable and intense citrus flavor with sweet undertones, so those who like nutty or chocolaty coffee may not be keen on this one.
Cubico – for those not in the know – is part of the Million Pesos Program, which sees its coffee farmers paid double for high-quality coffee.
The only downer here is that, although this is medium-roasted coffee, it tastes a tad light but is also quite acidic.
- Brown Bear Real Colombia (Medium Roast)
These 100% Arabica beans have a unique mesh of flavors, boasting hints of toffee, apple, and marzipan, with a nutty undertone, and are ideal for those who enjoy sweeter coffees.
These Fairtrade coffee beans are suitable for any type of coffee machine (you will need a grinder, of course), including espresso and French press. Although this Colombian coffee is slightly higher in price than most of the others on this list, a portion of the profits made from sales of these coffee beans goes to the Free the Bears registered charity – coffee with a cause!
- Decadent Decaf Coffee Co. Swiss Water Decaf Colombia Decaf (Medium Roast)
Colombian coffee doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyed with an obligatory caffeine hit. And decaf coffee doesn’t have to mean a lack of flavor! Quite the opposite, actually. These Colombian coffee beans have a delightful spicy element with fruity notes and are low in acidity.
The best part about this Colombian coffee is that it is single-origin coffee, which means it will be notably better quality coffee than more mass-produced stuff and is grown at a high altitude (1300 meters above sea level), so it is more organic. It also uses the Swiss Water Method of caffeine extraction – no unnecessary chemicals! Super inexpensive too.
- Aroma Club Coffee (Dark Roast)
Known as ‘Strong George’ and has an intensity level of 5/5, this dark roast coffee is 80% Arabica and 20% Robusta and boasts no artificial flavors. Speaking of flavor, this Colombian coffee bean has a strong, rich flavor with dark chocolate undertones.
It is also pretty versatile insofar as it is suitable for most coffee maker types and is ideal for a delicious espresso or cappuccino that packs a punch. It’s also fully organic and Fairtrade and is one of the best Colombian coffee brands for those who love dark-roasted coffee.
- Union Hand-Roasted Timana Colombia Coffee (Medium Roast)
Hand-roasted coffee is synonymous with excellent quality and consistency. These 100% Arabica coffee beans are from the Caturra variety, considered some of the best Colombian beans in the world.
As for flavor, if your taste buds tingle at the mere thought of fruitiness, you will LOVE this Colombian coffee, as it offers notes of orange blossom, lemon, and plum and has a sweet syrupy finish. Good Lord!
This coffee is whole bean, so you will need a coffee machine and a grinder. Union is also a small business, so this single-origin coffee is a little pricier than other chain brands.
Colombian coffee with an autumnal twist? Yes, please.
This Colombian coffee bean boasts a flavor of apple, caramel, and chocolate, making this bean coffee hold a delicious crisp fall taste to it. These green coffee beans aren’t roasted (hence why they’re green), so you will need a coffee machine that has a roasting facility.
This Colombian coffee comes in bulk, meaning you can get hooked up with your favorite bean coffee for the whole year and roast up a delicious cup of joe whenever you want.
Colombian coffees are typically sourced from beans grown at an altitude of 1,100 – 2,000 meters above sea level, requiring fewer fertilizers because this altitude is ideal for organic plant-growing. Fewer chemicals = healthier coffee beans and a more pure flavor.
We love low-acidity dark-roasted coffee, so Cooper’s Columbian coffee is a natural contender for this list of best Colombian coffee brands. Folks who love their whole bean coffee (which is also single origin, just FYI) to have rich cocoa hints and a delightfully sweet aroma – this joe is for you!
The Colombian coffee industry is known for producing mild flavor coffee beans, so if you like a darker hint, you will find this fruity coffee pleasantly bitter.
This freshly roasted coffee is roasted in small batches to ensure consistently good quality.
Colombian Coffees: FAQs
Why is Colombian coffee the best coffee?
Colombian coffee growers have the perfect climate/terrain to grow some of the best coffee beans in the world. It is largely a mountainous/volcanic area, meaning the soil is mineral-dense and the high altitude, plus the tropical climate, is perfect for vegetation growth.
Does Starbucks use Colombian coffee?
According to Starbucks themselves, “Starbucks is proud to source, roast, and serve top-quality Colombian coffees in 62 countries around the world. Colombian coffees are among the most consistent in terms of taste and quality and serve as the backbone for many signature Starbucks coffee blends such as Espresso Roast and House Blend.”
Is Colombian coffee the best in the world?
Colombia is considered one of several countries with some of the best coffee growers in the world. This is due to the aforementioned factors of climate and soil.
Also, because the country boasts so many independent and fair-trade farmers in the coffee industry, the roasting process is typically well-executed and more attentive than mass-produced coffee beans from other parts of the world.
What kind of coffee is 100% Colombian?
Coffee that contains 100% Arabica coffee is fully Colombian and can be considered some of the most superior coffee beans in the trade.
Conclusion
Colombia boasts some of the best coffee in the world, and whether you have a flavor or roasting preference, you are well-catered to. Most premium Colombian coffee is organic and certified organic, as well as certified via other ethical food trade organizations, so you can enjoy this delicious beverage knowing it is fully sustainable and kind to the earth.
