Coffee is like wine in that farmers grow it in many different areas of the world. Each area imparts specific characteristics into the flavor that is unique to that region, and discerning coffee drinkers can pick up on them immediately. One of the original big coffee producers is Ivory Coast Coffee and if you are thinking about purchasing some for your home but would like to know more about it first, keep reading while we look at the history of this amazing coffee as well as the different flavors available to help you choose the best kind for you. We’ll even help you with some brewing tips to help you improve your experience.
Ivory Coast Coffee History
While many experts believe that coffee began in Africa in the region of Ethiopia during ancient times, coffee trees did not arrive on the other side of the continent at the Ivory Coast until the French brought them in the 19th century when the Ivory Coast was part of the French territories. However, once they began growing it, African farmers turned it into a leading export. At one time, they were the third-largest producer of coffee beans in the world, behind only Colombia and Brazil. They were the leading producer of a specific type of bean, the Robusta, until the 1980s.
Unfortunately, the civil war unsettled cultivation and caused them to lose their high ranking. Today coffee beans are still an important part of the Ivory Coast economy, and it is consistently among the top twenty coffee producers in the world. As recently as 2020, the new government has vowed to increase coffee production by 400%.
Ivory Coast Coffee Flavors
Chocolate
Many Ivory Coast coffee beans will impart a chocolatey flavor into the coffee that is faint but recognizable.
Nuts
A nutty flavor is common to many types of coffee beans, including those from the Ivory Coast. Darker roasts will mask the nutty flavor while lighter roasts will enhance it, so it’s a good place to start for beginners, and it’s easy to taste in brands that use Robusta beans like the coffees that come from the Ivory Coast.
Spice
You will likely notice a spice flavor while drinking your coffee that will develop more as an aftertaste once you swallow. The roasting time can affect how spicy the coffee is and how finely ground the coffee is.
Bitter
Ivory Coast Coffee Beans have a trademark dark and bitter taste that’s difficult to escape regardless of roast, though a darker roast will be stronger. It can take time to become adjusted to the bitter flavor, but it can be difficult to return to other types of beans once you do.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ0jtsuBRJ3/
Ivory Coast Coffee Roasts
Light Roast
Light Roasts include Light City, Half City, and Cinnamon. These coffee beans produce a mild flavor that retains much of the bean taste, and since they don’t cook long, there are no oils on the surface.
Medium Roast
Medium roast also goes by the names City, American, and Breakfast, and it’s one of the most popular roasts due to its full flavor that’s neither weak nor strong. You can start to taste the roasting with medium roast beans, and the beans will be darker but not yet dark enough to cause the surface to be oily.
Medium-Dark Roast
Medium-Dark Roast can also be called Full City, and this is where you will begin to see oil on the surface of the beans, and they will start to have a bitter taste which can make the Ivory Coast Coffee quite strong.
Dark Roast
The Dark Roast produces the strongest coffee because the beans can cook until they become black with obvious oil residue on the surface. Dark roast coffee is very strong with a strong roasting flavor many people describe as burnt. However, it’s quite popular, and it is what you’ll find a long line of people waiting for at the popular Starbucks Coffee Franchise.
Ivory Coast Coffee Brewing Tips
Grind
A finer grind will produce a stronger coffee than a coarser grind. You get a few options with preground coffee, but you can get several more by using a machine to grind the beans to your to your liking. Many grocery stores that sell whole bean coffees have a machine that you can use to grind the beans to your liking before you purchase them.
Fresh versus Preground
Besides the coarseness of your grind, you will also need to consider the freshness. Many coffee lovers claim that preground coffee is already stale when you purchase it, so you never get to experience the true flavor of the beans. Even grinding them in the store might not be sufficient because they can begin to lose their flavor as soon as thirty minutes after grinding. Coffee bean grinders are usually fairly inexpensive, and you can use it to grind fresh coffee immediately before you brew them for the best possible flavor. Preground coffee can be a great way to try out many different beans to find something you like, but once you have selected a favorite, we recommend grinding the beans fresh, especially Ivory Coast beans.
Summary
Ivory Coast Coffee beans are one of the world’s largest suppliers of coffee beans in the world. Some people might find the Robusta beans too strong and bitter, but other coffee tastes weak and bland once you are used to them. We recommend trying out several different brands first to find something you like and then purchasing that brand in several different roasts. Once you find your favorite roast, you can start to purchase whole beans so you can experiment with grinds to develop the perfect cup of coffee for you.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over this guide, and it has helped answer your questions. If we’ve convinced you to try out this popular coffee, please share this guide to Ivory Coast Coffee on Facebook and Twitter.
Featured Image Credit: BERMIX STUDIO, Shutterstock
