Why Are Ecuadorian Coffee Beans Grown at Such High Altitudes?

Ecuadorian coffee beans grown along the Andes benefit from a rare combination: the equator, high elevation and volcanic ash soil. The country holds the highest altitude for Arabica cultivation in South America, yet it has stayed in the shadow of Colombia, Brazil and Panama in the specialty market. Its cup profile is juicy and complex with pronounced sweetness.

Coffee reached Ecuador in the 19th century, with early coffee farms planted in Manabí Province in the 1860s. Coffee became an economic backbone only after disease hit cocoa in the late 1920s. The 1990s price crisis cut production sharply, and the early 2000s brought further economic strain, slowing the rise of its specialty sector.

Among the many coffee-producing countries in South America, Ecuador, despite being crossed by the equator and possessing favorable conditions such as the Andes Mountains and volcanic ash soil, has long failed to secure a prominent position in the specialty coffee market. This article, from the perspective of Front Street, sorts out the historical context, current industry status, and variety processing methods of Ecuadorian coffee, analyzes why its flavor is juicy and complex with outstanding sweetness, and introduces major producing regions such as Loja and the Galápagos Islands, as well as Front Street's professional recommendations for roasting and brewing.

When it comes to coffee origins in South America, names like Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Brazil are often the first to jump into coffee lovers' minds. However, on the South American continent, there is another place known as "the country with the highest altitude for Arabica cultivation"—Ecuador—which has always stood quietly behind these coffee giants. In this article, Front Street discusses why Ecuadorian coffee has been slow to become active in the specialty coffee market.

Ecuador has a very special nickname, "the Equator Country," because the country is directly crossed by the equator. The Andes Mountains run through the entire country from north to south, and there are numerous volcanoes, the most famous of which is the world's highest active volcano, reaching 5,897 meters above sea level. Low latitude, high altitude, and volcanic ash soil are precisely the essential hard conditions for growing specialty coffee, so Ecuadorian specialty coffee actually possesses all the foundations that good coffee should have.

Coffee entered Ecuador in the 19th century. In the 1860s, the earliest coffee plantations were established in the coastal areas of Manabí Province. Ecuador is one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world, and its unique ecosystem is very suitable for coffee cultivation. Coffee quickly became one of the country's main export commodities.

By the late 1920s, the cocoa industry was threatened by disease, and only then did coffee truly become the backbone of Ecuador's economy. Even then, however, coffee still seemed like an afterthought in the national economy. During the price crisis of the 1990s, coffee production fell sharply. In the early 2000s, Ecuador's economy was mainly supported by oil, and the proportion of agriculture was far lower than in many other coffee-growing countries.

Recent Development of Coffee Cultivation in Ecuador

Ecuador is one of only 15 countries in the world that produces both Arabica and Robusta. In recent years, with the promotion of new professional practices and the continued investment of local farmers and roasters, Ecuador's coffee industry has restarted. Restoring old plantations and replacing old, low-yielding tree varieties have gradually brought the country's production back up. Demand in the international market for high-quality coffee has concentrated this growth mainly in Arabica plantations and specialty coffee farms. Arabica has lower yields and less caffeine and is mainly used for specialty coffee; Robusta has higher yields and higher caffeine content and is generally used only for espresso blends and instant coffee. Although Ecuador's Robusta production still far exceeds Arabica, the former's output has actually begun to decline for the first time.

In 2016, at a U.S. roasting competition, Tony Querio of Spyhouse Coffee roasted a perfect classic Ecuadorian coffee and won first prize. In 2018, at the 12th Golden Cup held in Quito, Ecuador, an Arabica coffee purchased by a Korean company broke the country's previous price record. These signs indicate that although Ecuador's specialty coffee production is still small compared with its neighbors, its recent focus on quality has begun to bear fruit.

Challenges Facing Ecuador

Selective harvesting in Ecuador is especially difficult: because the country is located on the equator, coffee needs to be harvested year-round.

The country's altitude ranges from sea level to more than 2,000 meters, and its terrain and climate vary greatly. Combined with the special challenges brought by its equatorial location, this creates a unique but not unmanageable situation. On the same branch, all stages of the coffee growth cycle often appear at once: unripe berries, ripe berries, and rows of coffee flowers. This forces farmers to pick continuously while also processing enough for export, and the prolonged harvest cycle also drives up labor costs.

Another challenge is Ecuador's subtle climate changes.

Whether due to the effects of altitude and the equator, or the influence of the eastern jungle and the western ocean, slight climate fluctuations can have a huge impact on farmland. Places that are often foggy in the morning and afternoon sunlight are sometimes shrouded in fog all day, making it impossible to dry properly even in drying facilities. In order to grow coffee of the same quality as in previous years, coffee farmers have to invest more time.

Coffee Producing Regions

Coffee farms in Ecuador are generally small. About 80% of coffee farmers cultivate less than 5 hectares, 13% cultivate between 5 and 10 hectares, and only 7% cultivate more than 10 hectares. According to statistics, of the country's approximately 300,000 hectares of cultivated area, 20% of coffee farm land is illegally occupied.

Loja Region

The Loja region is located in southern Ecuador, close to the Andes Mountains. It is one of the highest coffee-growing areas in the world, with an altitude of 1,450 to 2,000 meters, and it is also an important coffee export city in the country. The coffee variety is Typica, processed by the washed method, and mostly grown naturally under shade. The area has high altitude, diverse climate changes, and excellent soil quality, providing many growing conditions suitable for coffee.

Galápagos Islands

Coffee beans produced in the Galápagos Islands are organic coffee beans. This is due to the unique ecological environment such as volcanic soil and microclimates, combined with the absence of any chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and they are widely recognized as natural green specialty coffee. This naturally grown coffee has a mild taste, with a faint floral and fruity aroma and caramel aroma. It is understood that the Galápagos Islands are about 1,000 kilometers from mainland Ecuador and are located at the confluence of the eastern Pacific and three major ocean currents.

Intag Valley

The western foothills of the Andes south of Guayaquil, as well as the coastal hilly areas of Manabí Province, are known for growing Arabica coffee beans, which have the characteristic of a perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.

Pichincha Province

Located in northwestern Ecuador, it mainly grows Robusta coffee beans.

Ecuadorian Coffee Flavor

Due to its special geographical location, Ecuador's climate varies by region, with different temperature and rainfall patterns. Highland areas tend to be mild and cool, with similarities to products from higher-latitude regions; coastal areas are warm and tropical, with fertile soil. Front Street believes that when grown at very high altitudes, coffee beans show rich fruity acidity. Ecuadorian coffee is juicy and complex, with some jammy flavors, outstanding sweetness, medium acidity, and notes of yellow fruit.

Coffee Varieties

Ecuadorian coffee beans include two varieties, Galápagos and Gigante, both of which are characterized by large beans and heavy weight. However, the coffee variety mainly grown in Ecuador is still Bourbon.

Bourbon was originally a mutation after Typica was transplanted to Yemen, and its bean shape changed from slender and pointed to round. In 1715, France transplanted the round bean of Yemen Mocha to Bourbon Island off the east coast of Africa, which was renamed Réunion Island after the French Revolution, and it was only thereafter that it was named Bourbon. The round Bourbon bean was passed to Brazil and Central and South America in 1727. In 1732, the British transplanted Yemen Mocha to St. Helena, the place where Napoleon was later imprisoned, and it was also the round Bourbon bean. Bourbon is a frequent winner in cupping among specialty coffees in the Americas.

Coffee Bean Processing Methods

Coffee processing in Ecuador is mainly washed, and this processing method can produce coffee with a cleaner taste.

Bean selection—removal of pulp—fermentation—washing—drying—hulling

First, a large amount of water is added to the coffee cherries to wash away unripe fruits and impurities floating on the surface, carrying out bean selection, and then a pulper is used to remove the skin and pulp. Next, the beans are placed in a fermentation tank to ferment for 18 to 36 hours, allowing fermentation bacteria to dissolve the pectin on the surface of the coffee cherries. After rinsing with clean water, they are sun-dried for 1 to 3 weeks and then machine-dried. A huller is used to remove the parchment, hull, seed shell, and silver skin. The procedure is quite cumbersome.

Front Street Roasting Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee takes into account that coffee beans grown at high altitude in Ecuador have rich fruity acidity. In order to highlight the sweetness and fruity acidity of coffee beans from this origin, Front Street's roasters recommend using a medium-light roast for the coffee beans.

Most Ecuadorian coffee beans grow in high-altitude areas, and the coffee cherries mature more slowly, thus producing more sugar, which gives the coffee beans a more complex sweetness and also makes the beans harder in texture and denser, commonly known as hard beans.

Hard beans absorb heat energy better than soft beans, so flavor development is more complete. On the other hand, because hard beans are dense and have high moisture content, they also hinder heat transfer. Therefore, Front Street's roasters recommend using relatively high heat and a higher drop temperature during roasting.

Front Street Brewing Recommendation

Front Street recommends using a V60 conical dripper. The V60 has a relatively large opening, and together with its unique spiral curved ribs, it allows air to escape more easily, thereby improving extraction quality. The body may not be thick enough, but the sweetness, acidity, and distinct aroma brought out by its high concentration are one of its major features.

Water temperature: 90-91°C

Grind size: fine granulated sugar size / No. 20 sieve bowl sifting to 80%

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Coffee dose: 15 grams

Brewing method: FrontStreet Coffee uses staged extraction, that is, three-stage pouring. Bloom with 30 grams of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small stream in circles to 125 grams and stop. After the water level drops, pour slowly again at an even speed, and the water level should not be too high. Pour again to 225 grams and stop. Extraction time is 2 minutes to 2 minutes 10 seconds (including bloom time).

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.