Coffee is grown the world over. Some countries such as Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Colombia are examples of coffee-growing regions that produce great coffee.
There are also countries like Puerto Rico, which may not be so well-known, yet they produce high-quality coffee.
This country has lush mountainous regions extending from Orocovis to Rincon with Bauxite-rich soils where coffee plants thrive.
Unfortunately, Puerto Rico has faced various issues in the recent past, such as political unrest and destructive storms that have interfered with its coffee production.
An example is Hurricane Maria, which destroyed 85 percent of the harvest in Puerto Rican coffee farms in 2017.
The good news is efforts launched by the Puerto Rican government to restore the coffee trees in the region in 2018 are now beginning to bear fruit.
Five Puerto Rican Coffee Brands you Should Buy
Puerto Rico is known for growing excellent Arabica coffee beans of the Catimor, Bourbon, Limani, Typica, and Pacas varieties.
Most coffee beans from Puerto Rico produce coffee with low acid content. These coffee beans are known for their chocolate and caramel flavor notes.
They brew smooth sweet coffee with very little bitterness that does not require the addition of milk or sugar.
Here are some examples of the best Puerto Rican coffees you can buy.
1. Alto Grande
Alto Grande coffee is a premium coffee produced in Puerto Rico that is grown on farms where the coffee trees only yield a pound of coffee a year. This coffee is usually only available in limited quantities.
Full-bodied chocolate flavor notes characterize Alto Grande coffee with a sweet aroma. It is low in acid and is best consumed as a medium roast.
The best way to brew Alto Grande coffee is by brewing it in a French Press.
2. Café Lareño
Café Lareño coffee is sourced from the mountains of Lares, a popular coffee-growing region in Puerto Rico.
This coffee is a single-origin organic coffee grown in premium coffee growing farms that is often compared to Hawaii Kona coffee.
It is a medium roast with sweet chocolate fruity flavors appreciated by people who enjoy mildly acidic coffee.
3. Cafe Oro
Cafe Oro, meaning Coffee of Gold, is appreciated just like this precious metal in Puerto Rico. These coffee beans are grown in the mountains of Lare, a region known for growing 100% Arabica coffee beans.
Examples of quality Cafe Oro coffee beans are those from Hacienda Los Eucaliptos.
If you are looking for a coffee from Puerto Rico that you can have black with no sugar or creamer, Cafe Oro is the one. Medium roast Cafe Oro coffee beans make great Americano and Espresso.
4. Yaucono Coffee
Yaucono coffee, established by Thomas Prado, is the biggest coffee producer in Puerto Rico. Around 70 percent of the coffee in this country comes from Yaucono.
This brand of coffee beans is made up of coffee from Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Honduras.
Yaucono coffee beans have a chocolatey, smooth flavor and low acidity that is ideal for Moka pot coffee brewing.
5. Coffee Hacienda San Pedro Coffee
The Hacienda San Pedro coffee is a Puerto Rican coffee grown in specialty coffee growing regions. This farm has a history of growing excellent coffee dating back over 100 years.
It produces peaberry coffee beans that brew rich and smooth coffee with chocolate, caramel, and spicy flavors.
Hacienda San Pedro coffee is full-bodied with intense sweet flavors that appeal to people who enjoy premium coffee beans.
Popular Puerto Rican Coffee Beverages
As you can see, coffee made from Puerto Rican beans is usually highly caffeinated and full-bodied. Its chocolate, caramel, and honey flavors appeal to people who love sweet, mild coffee brews.
Some of the popular Puerto Rican coffees made from these coffee beans are;
Cortadito: A sweet coffee whose name means “shortcut” made with a shot of espresso and steamed whole milk.
Cafe con Leche: A coffee whose name means “coffee with milk” made from espresso, steamed milk, and some foam. This coffee can be “clarity,” meaning espresso with lots of milk, or “oscurito,” espresso with little milk.
Pocillo coffee: Puerto Rico’s version of espresso named after the cup it is served in.
Conclusion
That’s 5 of the best Puerto Rican coffee beans you can buy, along with 3 popular coffee beverages made in that region.
Although Puerto Rico is a tiny island, it is located in a place with the right altitude, soil, and climate to produce some of the best coffee in the world.
Try some of the medium roast coffees we’ve suggested here. You may be surprised to find that Puerto Rican coffee is just as flavorful as coffee from other popular coffee-growing regions worldwide.
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