I'm super excited to be writing this guide to Peruvian coffee. As it happens, coffee beans from Peru have long been among my very favorites, so I'm eager to spread the word.
I’m super excited to be writing this guide to Peruvian coffee. As it happens, coffee beans from Peru have long been among my very favorites, so I’m eager to spread the word.
You see, although Peru is a major coffee producing country, Peruvian coffee is still overshadowed by beans from neighboring countries. So, if I can do just a little to change that, I’ll pat myself on the back and call this guide a success!
Overview: Does Peru Have Good Coffee?
While Peruvian coffee isn’t as well-known as coffee from Colombia or Brazil, it’s long been prized by connoisseurs in the specialty coffee world.
Thanks to its incredible ecological and geographical diversity, Peru offers the chance to grow coffee in a wide variety of locations. Plus, farmers can cultivate coffee at high elevations featuring fertile soils and unique microclimates. Finally, many Peruvian coffee farmers cultivate high-quality, organic and fair trade coffee beans.
Coffee cultivation in Peru began earlier than in most other South American coffee countries. However, Peru didn’t start exporting its coffee until the late 1800s. The Peruvian coffee industry stagnated for many years, thanks to the usual culprits like internal strife and a focus on other crops.
Fortunately, though, the government decided to give the industry a huge boost starting in the early 2000s. It was around this time that fair trade laws were passed, which quickly started to benefit small producers. The end result was better pay and working conditions for farmers as well as a rise in the quality of Peruvian coffee beans.
Peruvian Coffee Coffee Production Today
By 2008, Peru had become the 11th biggest coffee producer. That’s pretty impressive seeing as most coffee beans from Peru are produced by smallholder farmers with just a few acres of land. With that said, a few cooperatives do exist, in particular Centrocafe, which has done much to promote the very highest quality Peruvian beans.
Interestingly, most of the coffee grown in Peru is done so organically, seeing as farmers have little or no access to pesticides. However, becoming certified organic is beyond the means of most producers.
Peruvian coffee growing regions still struggle with bad infrastructure and unreliable access to running water. What’s more, individual farmers have difficulty negotiating with buyers. With all that said, Peru is one of the leading exporters of organic, fair trade coffee.
Finally, something similar to kopi luwak has become a specialty Peru coffee bean. Capis coffee is harvested from the poop of the free-roaming coati, a member of the racoon family, and fetches ridiculously high prices in North America.
Peruvian Coffee Growing Regions
As I already mentioned, Peru is extremely geographically diverse, with growing regions scattered throughout the country. As a result, Peruvian coffee beans differ markedly depending on where they’ve been cultivated. Here’s a brief overview of Peru coffee growing regions:
Northern Peru. Varying greatly in both elevation and climate, northern Peru includes jungle, coastal and mountainous terrain. Some of the most famous coffee beans are grown in the Cajamarca, Amazonas and Piura regions.
Central Peru. There are three major growing regions in central Peru: Junin, renowned for its sweet and complex coffee, Huanuco and jungle-covered Pasco.
Southern Peru. This part of Peru includes some of the country’s highest-elevation terrain. Small amounts of extremely high-quality Arabica are cultivated in Cusco, Ayacucho and Puno.
What Does Peruvian Coffee Taste Like?
The vast majority of Peruvian coffee on the market is high quality, fully washed 100% Arabica beans. Thanks to the washed coffee processing method, you can expect a clean, vibrant cup profile.
Of course, it’s difficult to assign tasting notes to all Peru coffee, seeing as beans from different regions will have their own unique flavor profile. Overall though, Peruvian coffee is relatively mild and displays a medium body and moderate acidity. Sweet notes like vanilla are common, as well as notes of chocolate, nuts and spice.
I particularly enjoy Peru coffee’s subtle, citrus-like brightness, especially when the roaster has stopped just short of a medium roast profile. Then again, beans from Peru can take medium-dark coffee roast profiles without losing their delicacy.
How to Make Peruvian Coffee
If you’ve checked out my guide to the best coffee beans for pour over, you’ll know one of my favorites was a light roast single origin Peruvian coffee. Trust me, using the best pour over coffee maker to prepare Peruvian coffee beans will result in a beautifully complex cup.
As I mentioned above, coffee beans from Peru are often medium-dark, making them ideal for espresso preparation. And you won’t need the best espresso machine or best fully automatic espresso machine to achieve great results. Seriously, even a budget-friendly espresso machine will do the job nicely.
In my experience, Peruvian beans are ideal for espresso, whether you prefer drinking straight shots or milk-based drinks. Then again, their chocolate notes and balanced acidity really do come to the fore when blended with steamed milk.
How to Buy Peruvian Coffee Beans
As always, I recommend trying to buy Peruvian coffee beans from a small, independent roaster. So, if you have easy access to one or more local coffee roasters, consider making the extra effort to pay them a visit. Trust me, it’s most often the case that small roasters carefully source their coffee beans and skilfully roast them in small batches. Plus, you’ll most likely be able to garner important information about sourcing, processing, tasting notes and more.
Of course, not everyone has the luxury of living near a boutique coffee roaster. Still, most companies ship their products, so do a little online research and see what you can find.
As a last resort, you can find high-quality Peruvian beans on Amazon. Just make sure you choose carefully. Look for beans that come with a “roasted on” date as well as plenty of information about how the coffee was procured.
Final Thoughts
I had a blast writing this guide to Peruvian coffee! I have to say that if you haven’t yet tried coffee beans from Peru, you should run out and buy some. Whether you use a drip coffee maker or a big, fancy espresso machine, brewing Peruvian coffee beans will open your eyes (and taste buds) to new flavor frontiers.
I remember the first time I tried Peru organic coffee and how its complexity and balanced sweetness blew me away. Since then, I’ve bought Peru beans many times and I’ve never been disappointed. Ultimately, I’m just happy to see that this superb coffee origin country is starting to get the attention it deserves!
What’s your experience with coffee from Peru? Do you love these unique beans as much as I do? Feel free to leave a comment below!
Peruvian Coffee FAQ
You usually won’t spend more than 3 US dollars on a cup of coffee in Peru. Still, prices vary greatly depending on location.
Peruvian coffee is prized for its complex and balanced flavor profile. The coffee here is high-quality, high-grown and carefully cultivated.
Both Peru and Colombia are known for producing exquisite coffee beans. Neither could be said to be better than the other.
Seeing as harvesting Luwak Coffee is so labor-intensive, you can expect to pay a real premium for this exotic variety.
