- The 10 Best Colombian Coffee Beans We Recommend
- The 10 Best Colombian Coffee Brands Reviewed
- Volcanica Colombian Supremo
- Volcanica Colombian Peaberry
- Volcanica Colombian Supremo Decaf
- Fresh Roasted Dark Colombian Supremo
- Stone Street Coffee Colombian Supremo
- Koffee Kult Colombian Huila
- Don Pablo Colombian Supremo
- Java Planet Colombian Organic
- Peets Coffee Single Origin Colombia Dark Roast
- Black Ink Colombian Coffee
- Why Is Colombian Coffee So Unique?
- Colombian Coffee Bean Grading
- A Buyer’s Guide To Choosing The Best Colombian Coffee
- Colombian Coffee Is Famous For A Reason
- Frequently Asked Questions
I have had my fair share of Colombian coffees and can say the Huila region is my favorite. Huila produces some of the best Colombian coffee around thanks to its fertile soils, high altitude, and distinctive climate. Still, there are many more excellent varieties out there.
We looked at all the varieties of Colombian coffee beans and decided that this Volcanica Colombian Supremo was the best around.
Below is a list of the best Colombian coffee brands around today. Keep reading to find a Colombian coffee that suits you.
The 10 Best Colombian Coffee Beans We Recommend
| Product | Features | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  | Volcanica Colombian Supremo
| 9.7 | Check On VolcanicaCheck On Amazon |
Best Premium Bean  | Volcanica Colombian Peaberry
| 9.5 | Check On VolcanicaCheck On Amazon |
Best Decaf  | Volcanica Colombian Supremo Decaf
| 9.1 | Check On VolcanicaCheck on Amazon |
Best Value  | Fresh Roasted Dark Colombian Supremo
| 8.8 | Check On Fresh Roasted CoffeeCheck on Amazon |
Best For Pour-Over  | Stone Street Coffee - Colombian Supremo
| 8.6 | Check On Stone Street Coffee |
Best For Espresso  | Koffee Kult Colombian Huila
| 8.2 | Check On Amazon |
Best With Milk  | Don Pablo Colombian Supremo
| 8 | Check On Amazon |
Most Versatile  | Java Planet Colombian Organic
| 7.7 | Check On Amazon |
Best For French Press  | Peets Coffee Single Origin Colombia Dark Roast
| 7.4 | Check On Amazon |
Best for Beginners  | Black Ink Colombian Coffee
| 7.2 | Check On Black Ink |
The 10 Best Colombian Coffee Brands Reviewed
Colombia is a vast and diverse country for coffee growing. Each farming region has its own unique characteristics and qualities, which means there is a Colombian coffee out there to suit everyone.
Volcanica Colombian Supremo
- Flavor Profile: Nutty, bittersweet, chocolate, caramel, orange
- Origin: Bucaramanga, various small-batch farms
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium-to-dark roast
This Volcanica Colombian Supremo does everything you want from a coffee. It is for anyone who wants to get to know what Colombia can do, thanks to the specific farming methods used to get the most out of this mighty bean. It’s also a versatile drink. The medium-dark roast lends itself well to be drunk black or with milk and cream, making it the best for all types of coffee drinkers.
The coffee beans are shade-grown high up in the Andes beneath a canopy of trees. This allows the coffee beans to develop their potential slowly over time and not become scorched by the equatorial sunlight.
Both the unique growing conditions and the shade-grown farming methods create a Colombian supremo coffee that is full-bodied with a smooth finish. A superb drink for everyone.
Volcanica Colombian Peaberry
- Flavor Profile: Nutty, bittersweet, chocolate, caramel, orange
- Origin: Bucaramanga, various small-batch farms
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium-to-dark roast
Peaberry is a single whole bean grown in the coffee fruit instead of the usual two. It is often considered to be the highest coffee bean of a farm’s coffee yield. It is so rare that only between 3% and 5% of a crop will be peaberry.
Grown between 1650 and 1800m, this is top-of-the-pile, top-of-the-mountain quality Volcanica coffee.
Great rarity demands great respect. This is for someone who wants to drink a rich, bright coffee. It is ideal for those situations where the coffee itself is the focal point, like when friends are over for dinner, or for mornings with an hour to spare.
Volcanica Colombian Supremo Decaf
- Flavor Profile: Floral, sweet, nutty
- Origin: Various small-batch farms
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium roast
This decaf coffee is excellent in its own right. This is thanks to the minimal intervention decaffeination process and the best Colombia has to offer: the supremo bean.
Back in the dark ages of coffee technology, decaf required an unpleasant mix of chemicals to be added to it to strip the coffee bean of its caffeine – and flavor.
Volcanica coffee beans are turned into decaf coffee using the Swiss water decaffeination process. It’s a modern technique that uses hot water to dissolve and remove the caffeine from the coffee beans but not the taste.
This coffee is for those who are trying to cut out caffeine and still want specialty coffee. Or for those who want to drink great coffee at night without the jitters. Hell, you could serve this coffee up to someone who doesn’t drink decaf and they would be none the wiser.
Fresh Roasted Dark Colombian Supremo
- Flavor Profile: Honey, cherry, caramel, chocolate, stone fruit
- Origin: Various small-batch farms
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium roast
The supremo Colombian coffee bean is the largest and highest grade bean available. They also have the fewest defects and add up to a supreme drinking experience.
It is curious then, that it is available at the price it is. This is a supremo Colombian coffee to be enjoyed whenever, removing the guilt of making great coffee every day.
Many value coffees often need to be made with milk or sugar to compromise for the underwhelming taste, but this isn’t so with this one. By drinking this one black, all the myriad flavors brought out by the medium roast method are set free to dance around your palate. What you’re left with is a thick, satisfying mouthfeel of chocolate, caramel, and fruity sweetness.
Stone Street Coffee Colombian Supremo
- Flavor Profile: Sweet caramel, chocolate, fruity
- Origin: Various small-batch farms
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Light roast
This is a light roast coffee that preserves the unique characteristics of the supremo beans. Darker roasts tend to overpower the beans and sacrifice the flavor subtleties. Here, the supremo bean is allowed to have its whole array of flavors come forth.
This coffee works well for anyone who likes to brew their quality coffee with a pour-over or drip filter. A pour-over extracts all the subtleties from the bean but it doesn’t force it or stress the bean. A light roast works best with a light-touch brewing method like a filter.
It is also ideal for those who like to drink a cold brew or iced coffee made from a filter. Just leave the beans in there for a little longer or add more for a stronger flavor.
Koffee Kult Colombian Huila
- Flavor Profile: Chocolate, sweet, cherry
- Origin: Huila region
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium
The Huila region is well known for producing some of the best Colombian coffee. This reputation is longstanding, hard-earned, and has been well maintained by the coffee growers.
Koffee Kult has respected this bean and treated it well to showcase the Huila region. This is a bold coffee with a medium roast to bring it forth.
It is the ideal quality coffee bean for anyone who likes to drink espresso or a stovetop. The medium roast of the coffee really really brings out the bold depth of the coffee but with less acidity, which means the drink is smoother when used as an espresso.
This coffee is neither sour nor over-roasted. It’s got a great, sweet taste on its own to drink black. But it also cuts through well when milk or cream is added to the espresso.
All you need to do is grind these Koffee Kult beans fine enough to make any of your favorite espresso-based drinks.
Don Pablo Colombian Supremo
- Flavor Profile: Chocolate, citrus, walnut, cacao
- Origin: Not Specified
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium-dark roast
This Don Pablo Colombian Supremo is a dark and bold-tasting that lasts from the first to the last sip.
The slow roasting process that Don Pablo uses lets the natural strength of the coffee come out of the bean. It says it is a medium-dark roast. But by all intents and purposes, this Colombian coffee is dark, making it the ideal drink to enjoy with milk or cream.
The taste has a savory, robust flavor often attributed to dark roasts. Darker roasts might not have the same complexity as others, but when milk is added it creates one silky, mellow, delicious cup of coffee.
The coffee beans are also roasted to order in small batches, to ensure none of its fresh richness is lost.
Java Planet Colombian Organic
- Flavor Profile: Chocolate, fruit tones
- Origin: Not Specified
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium-to-dark
The old saying goes that a Jack of all is a master of none. But this isn’t so with Java Planet Colombian beans.
The type of bean used and the roast of this coffee means it works well however it is prepared. It could be described as an “omni-roast”. The medium acidity allows it to work well when ground for espresso as well as for a pour-over.
You can play around with any number of brewing methods you might have at home with this coffee. You will be surprised how different this same bean can taste with a different brewing process.
Peets Coffee Single Origin Colombia Dark Roast
- Flavor Profile: Chocolate, sweet, earthy, toasty, stone fruit
- Origin: San Agustìn, Huila
- Process: Washed
- Roast Type: Medium-to-dark
Most beans from the renowned Huila region are known for their fruity and bright Colombian coffee taste. This single-origin coffee by Peets bucks the trend.
Peets have roasted a coffee that is darker than usual for Huila. It is perfect for someone who wants to make a coffee using a French Press. Brewing with a French Press really brings out the unique, darker tones of this cup of Joe by letting the beans steep in the water.
The Huila beans and the medium-dark roast by Peets all add up to a chocolatey and earthy coffee drink with notes of stone fruit. The small-batch, hand-roasted process ensures that only the best coffee is produced.
Black Ink Colombian Coffee
- Flavor Profile: Chocolate
- Origin: Single Origin
- Process: Unknown
- Roast Type: Medium
It ticks all the right boxes for a classic coffee drink. It is sweet, robust, and chocolatey. It is a full-bodied and medium roast for balance. It’s bold, but not so bold that it would dissuade an unseasoned palate to the world of coffee.
A perfect gateway coffee. After all, it is from one of the classic coffee-growing regions with a classic chocolatey taste.
Both the quintessential but inoffensive boldness of the coffee and the optimal growing conditions are a fine display of what coffee is all about to those who don’t drink it often.
Even the bag it comes in has the word “begin” written on every packet, as if Black Ink know the adventure any newcomers are about to embark upon with this ideal Colombian coffee.
Why Is Colombian Coffee So Unique?
Like all great coffee, Colombian coffee is the product of its region. Colombia’s coffee regions are some of the best in the world. In straightforward terms:
- The rainfall is ideal
- The altitude is optimal for arabica
- The volcanic soil is rich in nutrients
- The equatorial climate is harmonious
All of these different variables add up together to make one mighty range of coffees.
FNC And Juan Valdez
The best Colombian coffees are licensed by the National Federation of Coffee Growers. Founded in 1927, the FNC has worked “for an empowered coffee grower, who makes the best decisions for their economic and social development, respecting the environment.”
The FNC takes a holistic approach to coffee production. It helps to ensure quality coffee beans and standards right through the chain of production.
The marketing figurehead of the FNC on many Colombian coffee brands associated with it is Juan Valdez. He is a fictional character who has appeared since 1958 as a symbolic figurehead of Colombian farming. He is usually seen with his trusty mule Conchita.
Colombian Coffee Types
There is no single type of Colombian coffee and each farm is different. What distinguishes one Colombian bean from the next is the region in which it’s grown. In Colombia, these regions can be split into three different zones:
- North Zone: this area has many indigenous groups that use natural, organic methods. It creates a coffee with less acidity, more body with nutty and chocolatey notes.
- Central & Central South Zones: coffees here tend to produce that typical Colombian coffee taste in this huge region. They are sweet with a hint of raw sugar or caramel and a medium-high body.
- South Zones: closer to the equator. The coffee is grown at higher altitudes where the temperature is lower, which slows the growth of the coffee beans to ripen. This develops the sugar in the beans and provides higher levels of acidity.
Huila Region
The Huila region in the South Zone is often regarded as having the best quality Colombian coffee. The mountainous and equatorial area has rich soils and a lush climate. The resulting coffee bean has bright acidity, sweetness, and a strong fruity profile. It is this fruity quality that Huila is so often known for.
Colombian Coffee Bean Grading
There are two primary grades of Colombian coffee: supremo and excelso. Both share many similarities but there are some subtle differences.
What Is Supremo And Excelso?
Colombia supremo beans are the largest beans available. They are also the highest quality grade of beans with less of a chance of defects.
Excelso beans are slightly smaller than supremo beans. They are a slightly lower grade due to the small number of defects. Otherwise, they are identical.
Colombia supremo and excelso beans are often grown on the same farm or tree. It’s just the size and classifications which are different.
A Buyer’s Guide To Choosing The Best Colombian Coffee
Colombian coffee is respected for its harmonious climate and much-envied growing regions. It is one of the most well-known countries in the world for its specialty coffee beans.
UNESCO even recognizes Colombia as a world Heritage Site. It describes Colombia as “an exceptional example of a sustainable and productive cultural landscape.”
Coffee is so important to Colombia in fact that over 2 million Colombians and 500,000 farmers rely on coffee to survive.
Single Origin Vs Blend
Only go for single-origin Colombian coffee if you want a real taste of a region. Coffee blends are often made to produce cheaper coffee whilst sacrificing flavor. Colombian coffee brands endorsed by the Federación Nacional De Cafeteros will be genuine.
Colombian Coffee Flavor
The flavor depends on the many variables of climate, soil, farming methods, processing methods… the list goes on. But you can expect to taste a mellow acidity with a caramel and chocolate sweetness, perhaps with nutty or fruity undertones.
Is Colombian Coffee Strong?
Colombian coffee is in general a bit weaker than other coffees in terms of its caffeine content. It is also almost entirely made from 100% arabica, which is less caffeinated than its less tasty robusta counterpart.
In terms of flavor, coffee from Colombia can be as strong or as weak as the next.
Roast Type
Colombian beans are versatile and can be roasted to every profile due to their variety of flavors and attributes. Roasters are often excited by Colombian coffee beans. The beans allow them to choose and highlight different flavors depending on where the beans have been grown.
- Dark roast: Draws out oil on the surface. The flavors from the coffee’s origin are roasted out, replaced with a very bold, smoky, dark roast coffee taste.
- Medium roast: Medium acidity and body. A rounded flavor profile. It preserves many of the unique flavors of the coffee’s origin and brings out the caramel sweetness of a darker roast.
- Light roast: Crisp acidity, mellow body, bright flavors. It preserves the unique characteristics of the bean.
Arabica Vs Robusta
Almost all of the best Colombian coffee brands will only make their coffee from arabica beans. Arabica coffee has a far superior taste.
Robusta is only added to arabica coffee beans to increase the strength of the coffee. It tastes like burnt rubber, but the caffeine content is twice that of arabica beans.
Whole Bean Vs Pre-Ground
We recommend you buy whole bean coffee from Colombia. This maintains the fresh-roasted coffee qualities of the arabica beans for longer. It will allow you to get the best cup of coffee by preserving the beans’ unique flavor notes.
The best Colombian coffee brands supply whole bean coffee so you can brew your beans using different brewing methods. Each one requires different levels of fineness or coarseness to release the full flavor.
Best Colombian Coffee Brewing Methods
For a lighter or medium roast, I would recommend a pour-over or filter coffee to preserve the delicate notes of the bean.
For a medium-dark roast or a dark roast, a stovetop or espresso would be preferred to really pull out that bold caramel sweetness.
Adding Milk Or Sugar
If you want to add milk or sugar to your Colombian coffee, a medium roast coffee or a dark roasted coffee would be preferable. Darker roasts work well with milk to add a strong, chocolatey flavor.
Sustainability and Ethics
Fair-trade and sustainable practices are a big issue in Colombia.
The best roasters around uphold certain sustainable, organic, and fair trade certified standards. It benefits them too, not just the supply chain and environment.
Organizations like the FNC work to protect the Colombian coffee growers and the regions they work in.
Many coffee brands will state on their packing if they are organic, fair trade certified, or Rainforest Alliance certified.
Growing Process
Most Colombian beans are washed and then sundried. Washed processing works well in most climates and requires less labor and monitoring than others. It also brings out the full unique characteristics of a particular bean.
- Natural: The fruit is left on the bean, which is dried and then stripped. It’s the more traditional method and adds more fruit flavor but less clarity to the bean.
- Washed: The fruit matter is stripped off of the bean. The beans are then washed before being dried, removing any sticky mucilage from the bean. There is more clarity with washed bean types as only the “bean” remains.
- Honey: The fresh coffee cherries are de-pulped, but allowed to dry without washing. Some of the mucilage remains on the bean.
Colombian Coffee Is Famous For A Reason
If a list of the world’s best coffee was compiled, there is no doubt much of it would come from the coveted equatorial regions of Colombia.
Having looked at what is on offer, we decided that this Volcanica Colombian Supremo coffee was the best overall, thanks to the specific growing conditions in which it’s grown and its versatility as a drink.
There is a Colombian bean out there for everyone, however. If you want to try a taste of Colombia at home, Java Planet’s Colombian Organic lets you play around with different brewing methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind Of Coffee Is 100% Colombian?
Any coffee which comes exclusively from Colombia is 100% Colombian. It is usually verified by the FNC. Try to avoid blends that dilute the potency of coffee from a region.
The best beans are also organic certified, Rainforest Alliance certified, or fair trade certified, so look for those too.
What Coffees Do Colombians Drink?
Colombian’s are proud of their coffee industry, so they will almost always drink their own. A common brewing method in Colombia is called “Tinto”, in which ground coffee is boiled in a pan. It’s a small, black cup of coffee.
Best Colombian Coffee Brands
There are many types of brands out there, but we suggest Volcanica’s Colombian Supremo. Volcanica is excellent at what they do. Colombian supremo coffee is also the highest grade of coffee bean available.
How Does Colombian Coffee Taste?
You can expect to taste a mellow acidity with a caramel and chocolate sweetness, perhaps with a nutty or fruity undertone. There is no single taste to represent the nation, so go and explore!
Why Is Colombian Coffee So Good?
It’s all down to the region, soil, climate, and best practices of framing. Colombia has it all.
Is Colombian coffee strong?
Contrary to popular belief, it has less caffeine than many other types of coffee.
In terms of flavor, it can be as delicate or as bold as any other coffee.
Where To Buy Colombian Coffee?
There any many places to purchase Colombian coffee. Places like Volcanica and Koffee Kult offer a variety of high-quality coffees.
