Coffee Spotlight: Tanzania

On the last leg of our coffee travels, we had visited the small Caribbean nation of Haiti. Now, we’re heading about 8,000 miles southwest to Tanzania in Africa. Tanzania is the 19th largest producer of coffee in the world, and coffee is also an important part of the nation’s economy. Let’s take a look at what characterizes coffee from Tanzania, and why it matters to so many citizens. Geography Tanzania is located in east Africa on the Indian Ocean. To the north are Uganda and Kenya; to the west are Burundi, Rwanda, and Congo; and to the south are Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi. The geography of Tanzania is quite unique and varied, in that it contains Africa’s highest point, Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as notable lakes, like Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa and the source of the Nile river, and Lake Tanganyika, the second oldest and second deepest lake in the world. The central region of Tanzania is a large plateau, with grasslands and beautiful national parks. Coffee Growing Regions Tanzanian coffees are grown on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, where the soil is fertile, under the shade of banana trees, with a warm climate—conditions that are ideal for coffee production. The majority of coffee produced is of the Arabica variety, while a small portion of the coffee is of the robusta variety that is grown in the western areas along Lake Victoria. Coffee History In 1898, Catholic missionaries planted the first coffee trees in the Kilimanjaro region of Northern Tanzania. It was initially used as a stimulant by the Haya tribe, and later it was actually used as currency. When the Germans colonized Tanzania, coffee was cultivated as a cash crop, and after World War II, the British took control, and planted over ten million coffee seeds. Coffee Characteristics Coffees produced in the northern region of Tanzania generally have a pleasant aroma, are rich in acidity and body, and have a sweet taste with balanced flavors. While southern coffees are medium bodied, with a fine acidity, and a fruity and floral aroma and taste. Our Tanzanian Coffee We are excited to provide you with the finest Tanzania Peaberry Coffee, one of our best sellers. It’s grown and harvested on the slopes of Mout Kilimanjaro near the Kenyan border. It is light-medium roasted, is light in acidity, with a full body, smooth aftertaste, a truly refreshing aroma, and is perfectly balanced—not too strong or too mild. On appearance, the Peaberry coffee beans are small and around with a cleft in the middle. This makes it a rather rare coffee, as only 10% of all coffee develops with these characteristics. If you’re interested in experiencing a new coffee culture, join us again right here, and visit us at CoffeeAM, or you can call us toll free at 1-800-803-7774. Is there a particular region that you would like to learn more about? Please tell us in the comments section below, and we may feature it in another post.