Exotic Coffee Beans From the Philippines: Hidden Treasures
Philippine coffee is gaining traction again in the international scene. Coffee production might have slowed down in 1889, but the country bounced back during the 1960’s. These days, you’ll find Philippine coffee gaining awards in international competitions and local efforts are boosting support for quality farming, roasting, and processing coffee.
You’ll find these suppliers or retailers of Philippine coffee in different parts of the globe. These companies uphold noteworthy practices in coffee production as they support local farming communities and making sure that these coffee beans come to your hands with love.
Caffeine Brothers, an online coffee beans supplier and distributor supports Filipino coffee producers and dedicate themselves to bring quality coffee abroad. They uphold fair trade practices and provide full support to local coffee farming communities. With efforts geared towards the long term, they aim to build ‘environmental wealth for future generations of growers.’
They source coffee from different provinces of the Philippines. You can buy wholesale Philippine coffee beans from them, so do check out this page if you want to offer Philippine coffee in your cafe.
Their name says it all – they bring peace to the world through coffee. They uphold relational harmony in all sectors of the coffee economy – from the farming communities, entrepreneurs, workers, and servers of coffee. The company was conceived through the successful mediation of a local conflict over a rice field. The conflict was solved through a dialogue over coffee. This initiated a series of efforts to protect the environment, helping local communities improve their lives through coffee farming, and support peacebuilding efforts in Mindanao. Caffeine Brothers has proven to the world that coffee can indeed make the world a better place.
From their online store, you’ll find precious coffee beans from Batangas, and Baguio. They also have various coffee blends available, such as the famed CB’s Finest.
Philippine coffee might not yet be seen in mega scale productions compared to the coffee superpowers in the world, but local companies and communities are joining hands to bring back the glory days of Philippine coffee; and perhaps even more than that – offering premium quality coffee that more and more people around the world could experience with joy. There’s a rare quality that can only be found in Philippine coffee, and coffee lovers will surely treasure whatever Philippine coffee beans they could get from a few locations in the world.
Coffee subscription services offer quality coffee beans, some of which are hard to find, to be delivered right to your doorstep. You’ll thank the ones who made this initiative as it ensures that you get fresh coffee beans every week or month. It also allows you to taste a variety of coffee from different roasters. It’s definitely a great experience as you’ll get a taste of the best that the coffee industry has to offer.
1. Kopi Luwak Coffee: The Circle of Life
Kopi Luwak is widely gathered in the forest or produced in farms in the islands of the Philippines, where the product is called kape motit in the Cordillera region, kapé alamíd in Tagalog areas, kapé melô or kapé musang in Mindanao, and kahawa kubing in the Sulu Archipelago.
Producers of the coffee beans argue that the process can improve coffee through two mechanisms, selection – civets choosing to eat only certain cherries – and digestion – biological or chemical mechanisms in the animal ‘s digestive tract altering the composition of the coffee cherries.
The conventional method of collecting feces from wild civets has given way to intensive farming methods in which civets in battery cage systems are force-fed the cherries.
Although kopi luwak is a form of processing rather than a variety of coffee, it has been called one of the most costly coffees in the world, with retail prices reaching 550 / US$ 700 per kilogram.
The origin of kopi luwak is closely connected with the history of coffee production in Indonesia. During the era of Cultuurstelsel ( 1830-70 ), the Dutch prohibited the native farmers and plantation workers from picking coffee fruits for their own use. Soon, the natives learned that certain species of musang or luwak ( Asian palm civet ) consumed the coffee fruits, yet they left the coffee seeds undigested in their droppings. The fame of aromatic civet coffee spread from locals to Dutch plantation owners and soon became their favourite, yet because of its rarity and strange process, the civet coffee was costly even during the colonial era.
The luak, that ‘s a little catlike animal, gorges after dark on the most ripe, the best of our crop. Something about the natural fermentation that occurs in the luak ‘s stomach seems to make the difference.
Early production began when beans were gathered in the wild from where a civet would defecate as a means to mark its territory. Coffee berries are eaten by a civet for their fruit pulp. Holdovers from the days where coffee was more about myths and salesmanship than quality and origin still exist.
They soon discovered that the civet cat would eat coffee cherries and pass the seeds-the coffee beans-without digesting them ( which, coincidentally, is what happens with the seeds of most fruits, and just so happens to be the evolutionary purpose of most fruits ).
The following information will help you get a better understanding from a different perspective:
What Kopi Luwak was is no big mystery: well-processed beans from uniformly ripe coffee cherries.
Specialty coffee today is just that: made from as uniformly ripe coffee cherries as humanly potential, and then processed and sorted to be as high quality as potential. Not only that, but modern specialty coffee now showcases the flavors of where it ‘s from, something Kopi Luwak sellers and supporters ( then and now ) dismiss in favor of some sort of unknowable animal magic.
The Problems with Kopi Luwak today are real for so many reasons it ‘s a miracle there is still a market for it. It has not even been near a civet cat, much less through one.
Why? Because civet cats are little animals without voracious appetites. Harvesting actual, free-range Kopi Luwak is more or less like hunting for poo truffles, with a much smaller payoff.
The animals are caged and force-fed these caffeine-laden coffee cherries all day, every day. So even if you overlook the fact that this kind of coffee-itself an honest-to-God vegan product-has somehow felt the need to incorporate a bit of animal suffering, you ‘re not even obtaining the flavors that set it apart in the first place.
The naturally shy and solitary nocturnal creatures suffer greatly from the stress of being caged in proximity to other luwaks, and the unnatural emphasis on coffee cherries in their diet causes other health problems too; they fight among themselves, gnaw off their own legs, begin passing blood in their scats, and frequently die.
If this wasn’t enough, other, morally bankrupt charlatans have decided to employ different animals as glorified washing machines.
2. Liberica Barako coffee: Filipino Pride
Literally translated from Tagalog ( the language of the Philippines ), “barako ” means “wild boar “. And so “barako ” came to believe manly, macho, fearless and tough.
” Kapeng Barako ” is the Tagalog name for the particular variety of Liberica that grows on the high mountain slopes of the Philippines. The strong, wiry sugar cane workers of the Philippines are called ” Barakos ” locally and they prefer their Barako coffee additional dark and sweet ( brewed campfire style in a big pot ). They give “regular ” coffee and “barako ” coffee, which is just bolder or darker.
Our Barako Blend is one of our oldest recipes, one of Len ‘s personal favorites, and one of the best ways to enjoy the interplay of Liberica with a supporting cast of characters. The result is a bold, smoky, and robustly fragrant cup that fortifies you for whatever challenges you face today, whether it ‘s rampaging wild boars or eight-hour budget meetings.
A unique and irreplaceable part of our worldwide coffee heritage, Liberica is an entirely separate species of coffee. We guarantee you have never tasted anything like this uncommon and exotic coffee.
Liberica is a vanishing species of coffee that is only now being brought back from the brink of extinction, and your purchase supports the conservation of both the coffee and the forests where it grows.
Liberica is once again in danger of extinction. We fear that soon the wild Liberica trees will be the only ones left !.
Now, more than ever, your purchase of Liberica is saving the whole species from extinction.
Kapeng barako ( Spanish : caf varraco or caf verraco; English : barako coffee ), also known as Barako coffee or Batangas coffee, is a coffee varietal grown in the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. The term is also used to refer to all coffee coming from those provinces. Barako has a strong flavor and fragrance reminiscent of aniseed.
Barako trees are some of the largest commercially cultivated coffee trees, which make them more hard to grow. It is listed in the Ark of Taste global catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.
Barako in Philippine languages is equivalent to the English term ” stud ” ( both literally and figuratively ), from Spanish varraco, “wild boar “.
Barako coffee was introduced to the Philippines in the 1740s by Spanish friars. From there it spread to other areas in the province, and Batangas became known for its coffee locally. In 1876, barako cultivation spread to the neighboring province of Cavite.
The Philippines became one of the top four producers of coffee in the world in the 1880s, after coffee rust devastated plantations worldwide. This caused most farmers to shift to other crops. In the mid-20th century, coffee demand once again surged, but barako did n’t make a comeback because of the difficulty of cultivating it in comparison to other coffee varieties.
The shape of the liberica beans is unique among other commercial species (arabica, robusta, and excelsa ). The central furrow is also more jagged in comparison to other coffee beans.
Barako trees are very tall, reaching up to 20 m (66 ft ) high. The size of the cherries, the beans, and the leaves of barako are also among the largest of all coffee varieties.
Its taste is said to be superior to Robusta, and most Philippine coffee drinkers prefer barako to Arabica. It has a distinctive flavor and a strong fragrance reminiscent of aniseed.
Barako only accounts for less than 2 % of commercial coffee grown. It is rarely exported, as most production come from little farms. It is also produced in Malaysia.
The big sizes of barako trees make it less effective for production and harvesting than other coffee varieties, causing most modern farmers to shy away from it and grow robusta cultivars instead.
Barako coffee is listed in the Ark of Taste global catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.
Barako coffee, with its strong smell and distinctive flavor, has been a ethnic staple in the Philippines for over two hundred years.
Read on to discover what it tastes like, why it ‘s so significant to the Filipino identity, and what third wave cafes believe about serving it.
Kapeng Barako is a variation of the Liberica species, which is known ( when it ‘s known at all ) for its big cherries and strange flavour. It ‘s also a uncommon species : estimates vary, but even the most generous state that it accounts for less than two percent of commercially produced coffee worldwide.
As for barako, you ‘ll locate it in little quantities in the Philippines, as well as other Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia.
For Filipinos, barako coffee is a symbol of their country. Traditionally it ‘s served black or sweetened with muscovado sugar.
The island nation ‘s relationship with Barako dates back 200 years to when it was first planted in Lipa City.
Yet this golden age was short-lived : in 1889, coffee leaf rust hit, decimating production. Production picked up again in the middle of the twentieth century, with demand returning from the popularity of instant coffee.
The President of the Philippine Coffee Board, Pacita Juan, tells me, ” There was a death of supply. ” Robusta trees ask less maintenance and are more disease resistant, believing an easier, more assured income for farmers.
The current rise in the number of local shops and global chains has helped Filipino coffee production to grow.
Barako is available locally, although consumption still remains low, in caf chains such as Figaro Coffee and Caf de Lipa.
However, these cafs are the exception. And Earl Queron, Head Barista at Manila ‘s Coffee Empire, tells us, ” It was only really trendy with the older generation, as that was all that was available back then. “.
In the Philippines, coffee is the most consumed beverage after water. This probably is not a surprise for those in metro Manila and other urbanised areas, which are chock-full of coffee houses ranging from big chains to boutique cafes.
A coffee varietal that belongs to the species Coffea liberica, kapeng barako is grown in the Philippines, predominantly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. The liberica is one of four identified species of coffee, along with robusta, excelsa and arabica.
The story of barako in the Philippines dates back 200 years, when it was first planted in a place called Lipa City in Batangas.
In the Philippines, “barako ” is a name given to a male stud bull or a wild boar, both of which are recognised as symbols of power and strength. Barako was so trendy that when the beans were shipped to America and Europe, the price they fetched was five times higher than other coffee varieties from Asia.
Then, in the 19th century, disaster struck : the country ‘s crops were hit by a disease known as coffee leaf rust. The scene did pick up again in the middle of the 20th century, with the growth of instant coffee.
Liberica is relatively uncommon globally, accounting for less than two percent of commercially produced coffee worldwide.
This is partly for practical reasons. Some farmers cut down their barako trees and replaced them with robusta, a species that requires much less maintenance and is more resistant to diseases.
And then there ‘s the problem with demand. Many speculate it ‘s because barako is trendy with the older generation, since that ‘s all they knew back in the day.
Demand for barako has never returned to its heyday of two centuries ago but that has not stopped some cafes and businesses in the Philippines ( and all over the world ) from identifying its value.
Spots like Cafe de Lipa in the Philippines take pride in their barako brew, while places like Figaro Coffee even went so far as to come up with a ” save the barako ” initiative that included programmes revolving around awareness, new plantings, research and targeted marketing.
Even overseas, the push for barako is growing. Over in London, second-generation Filipinos Omar and Jovan have established Barako Bean, a roastery that ‘s dedicated to sourcing and roasting single-origin coffees from the Philippines, adding barako.
Dear Followers and fellow Coffee Lovers, today you are in for a REAL TREAT here at SpillingTheBeansand we are both excited and proud to bring to you, directly from the far-off distant corners of the coffee-producing world of The Philippines, a Top Grade 1 blend of 100 percent pure single variety Liberica beans for our Coffee of The Day review.
The Philippines is one of the world ‘s oldest coffee-producing nations and the first seeds of the Coffea Arabica species were planted here all the way back to 1740.
To this date The Philippines remains a coffee-producing country full of surprises, from its guiding position as the 2nd largest consumer in Asia only surpassed by Japan to the fact that this is the only origin in the world which grows commercial volumes of all the world ‘s four main Coffea Species, incuding Arabica, Canephora, Liberica and Excelsa.
3. The Philippines Has It All
The Philippines is one of the few countries that produces the four varieties of commercially-viable coffee : Arabica, Liberica ( Barako ), Excelsa and Robusta.
In the Philippines, coffee has a history as affluent as its flavor. From there, coffee growing spread to other parts of Batangas like Ibaan, Lemery, San Jose, Taal, and Tanauan.
By the 1860s, Batangas was exporting coffee to America through San Francisco. Identifying the success of the Batangeos, Cavite followed suit by growing the first coffee seedlings in 1876 in Amadeo. In 1880, the Philippines was the fourth largest exporter of coffee beans, and when the coffee rust hit Brazil, Africa, and Java, it became the only source of coffee beans worldwide.
The glory days of the Philippine coffee industry lasted until 1889 when coffee rust hit the Philippine shores. Since Batangas was a major producer of coffee, this greatly affected national coffee production. By then, Brazil had regained its position as the world ‘s guiding producer of coffee. This was not the end of the Philippines ‘ coffee growing days, but there was less area allotted to coffee because many farmers had shifted to other crops.
During the 1950s, the Philippine government, with the help of the Americans, brought in a more resistant variety of coffee. Because of favorable market conditions, many farmers went back to growing coffee in the 1960s. When Brazil was hit by a frost in the 1970 ‘s, world market coffee prices soared.
Today, the Philippines produces 30,000 metric tons of coffee a year, up from 23,000 metric tons just three years ago.
The Philippines is one of the few countries that produces the four varieties of commercially-viable coffee : Arabica, Liberica ( Barako ), Excelsa and Robusta.
In the Philippines, coffee has a history as affluent as its flavor. Read more.
The Philippine Coffee Network is envisioned to be the largest most inclusive network of coffee stakeholders in all sections of the coffee value chain.
It will add farmers, farmers and producers groups and associations, processors, Roasters and coffee shop retailers and cafe owners.
Members will have access to coffee information for their business and the network will also give an exchange for best practices, trade opportunities and coffee knowledge.
The Philippine Coffee Network is envisioned to be the largest most inclusive network of coffee stakeholders in all sections of the coffee value chain.
It will add farmers, farmers and producers groups and associations, processors, Roasters and coffee shop retailers and cafe owners.
Members will have access to coffee information for their business and the network will also give an exchange for best practices, trade opportunities and coffee knowledge.
