Coffee history is strong in Peru…and fascinating. In the 1800s, Europe purchased most of its coffee from Asia, but coffee rust decimated Asian coffee crops and forced European buyers to look elsewhere. Then, England accepted coffee-growing land in Peru as repayment for a defaulted loan, which helped ramp up coffee production.
Peru is mountainous as the Andes run straight through the country. That gives them both lowland and highland growing regions, creating a wide variety of coffee bean quality. As usual, however, it’s the high-altitude beans that people crave.
Unsurprisingly, the Andes Mountains have had a major impact on Peru; they make it challenging for the country to develop a strong infrastructure system. Many of Peru’s farms are small with poor supply chains, causing development groups to invest in the country and leading to a strong Fair Trade presence.
Peruvian coffee is medium-bodied with mild acidity with the characteristic nuttiness of most Central and South American coffees.
