Have you ever notice the altitude listed on your bag of beans? Usually, single origin coffee and specialty coffee listed detail information about the coffee beans such as region, variety, post harvest process, character and the altitude where its grown. So what is so important about these information?

These factors have affect on the taste of each coffee. Nowadays, people’s thirst for knowledge of coffee continue to increase. Especially those who really appreciate coffee. Altitude certainly affects the beans shape, size, color and characters.

Generally, higher altitude gives a more distinctive taste and unique character in coffee bean. Coffee grown at higher altitudes have a lower air pressure and takes longer to harvest. It has a positive impact on the taste and character of the coffee. Coffee that grows at a higher altitude gives unique flavors such as fruits, flowers and spicy. With a longer harvest time, there are less coffee grown in the highlands and thus, the expensive price.

On the other hand, coffee that grows at a lower altitude doesn’t require too much time to grow and harvest. They also tend to produce a simpler and bland flavor with lower acidity. So it’s no surprise if coffee from the highlands get into so many of coffee lover’s favorite list and is often used by baristas in national and international competitions.

So, simply put, the higher the lands for coffee to grow, the more diverse and complex the character is. But it doesn’t mean coffee from lower altitude has no unique taste. Each level of altitude will give coffee its own unique flavor.

The rate of altitude did affect the taste of coffee itself. Nevertheless, these coffee still have to go through a long process such as post harvest process, roasting phase and brewing process, and all these stages are equally responsible for shaping the taste and characters of the coffee you drink.