Table of contents
Haiti
$ 0.5
| Varieties | Arabica, Robusta |
| How to Serve | Usually served as black coffee in a small cup |
| Flavor | Low in acidity, extremely smooth, barely bitter with sweet undertones |
| Recommended Machine | Espresso, Moka Pot, Drip, Stovetop |
| Good As | Espresso, Americano, Doppio |
| Price Range | $0.27 – $1.50 per ounce |
| Caffeine Level | 1.7% on average |
Haiti is a land unlike any other on the globe; originally a pirate refuge, the country was founded as a French colony entirely dedicated to cultivating cash crops such as sugarcane, coffee, as well as tobacco. As a consequence, the province became extremely wealthy for the French Kingdom, garnering it the title “Pearl of the Antilles”.
Haiti was once the world’s leading coffee manufacturer, accounting for more than half of the world market; however, they now account for just 0.2 percent of global output, with mango or cocoa having greater export earnings for the nation.
Haiti is by far the hilliest Caribbean country, making it perfect for coffee cultivation. The majority of Haitian coffee is organic but most of it is not certified. As a consequence, the Haitian coffee beans are mellow, smooth, and somewhat fruity, with lower acidity.
There are very few large plantations in the country, which is why the majority of its coffee export comes from small farms dotting the hillsides. Each of these farms has its own approach to the varieties they want to grow, but still, the most common ones are Arabica and Robusta.
In this Haitian coffee review, we will further talk about what are the best Haitian coffee brands, and how to brew Haitian coffee at home.
Haiti is pretty much designed for coffee cultivation. The island’s forests produce just the necessary amount of shade needed for the perfect coffee. This paired with tolerable humidity and hilly terrain is like the perfect combination a good cup of Arabica coffee needs.
However, not all regions are designed for coffee in Haiti. There are some good ones and some bad ones. Below, let’s talk about the best ones there are.
Farming, roasting, and exporting coffee is still a part of the tradition in Beaumont, one of Haiti’s few wooded areas. Ladies sing Creole traditional melodies while they check coffee cherry bunches. They pluck the vibrant red ones from the trees and place them in a plastic pail. The local group will purchase and prepare these cherries before selling the low-quality beans at the markets.
One thing that isn’t too great about Beaumont is its altitude. The highest peaks reach only 2000 feet above sea level, which isn’t ideal for coffee beans but isn’t too bad either. Luckily, the plentiful shade created from the local trees compensates for this. Farmers then work with what they have and still produce some of the best Haiti-grown coffee beans on the market.
Even though the cultivation process has declined in the Artibonite region over the last few decades, the popularity of coffee manufacturing is still at the highest level here.
The Artibonite River, which runs through the southern half of the region is the key factor to the coffee’s quality. A slightly larger altitude compared to Beaumont works wonders for the beans cultivated here, leading to the largest export market from this particular region. If you’ve ever had Haitian coffee, chances are that it was from Artibonite in particular.
We pay attention to the following:
For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.
So, which Haitian coffee is the greatest? You can see what Amazon has to say about these goods, so why not stay and learn why we loved them very much? Below is a quick description of each of the items listed above.
|
Price: $14.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 12 oz |
|
Type: Arabica |
|
Roast: Dark |
|
Producer: Cafe Kreyol |
|
Beans: Whole |
Outstanding Flavor – Intense cocoa as well as toast flavors with a buttery texture and cream consistency. This dark roasted coffee is long roasted to caramelized the sugars naturally occurring in the coffee beans, resulting in a rich, nuanced taste. It is grown at a high altitude in north Haiti, picked 4000 feet above mean sea level.
This product forever altered my perception of coffee! The flavor is fantastic. As somebody who utilizes cream and sugar, I was astounded by how little I used them with these beans. The flavor I was trying to create all this time was already there. There is no bitterness here, it is just very smooth. So if you buy Haitian coffee such as Cafe Kreyol Organic Haitian Hound you will definitely not be disappointed.
|
Price: $0.7 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 1-5 pound packages |
|
Type: Arabica |
|
Roast: Unroasted |
|
Producer: Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC |
|
Beans: Whole |
I deliberately chose this product due to the condition the beans are in. They are unroasted green beans ready to be shipped directly to your doorstep.
What’s the deal with green beans you ask? Well, you can roast them yourself. But doesn’t that just add more headache to an already pretty boring process? Well, yeah it does, but the good thing is that this way you will have the freshest, most delicious cup of Haitian coffee you’ve ever had.
You see, when beans are fresh-roasted they retain their natural flavor and aroma for a while. If you get them pre-packaged and pre-roasted, chances are that those flavors will have evaporated by that time. By getting green beans and roasting them yourself, you ensure the quality of every cup you brew.
I’d happily recommend Haitian roast coffee with other brands though if you still want to skip this extra step. But in this case, a green bean product was essential for this list.
|
Price: $11.69 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 10 oz |
|
Type: Arabica |
|
Roast: Light-Medium-Dark |
|
Producer: Mokafe |
|
Beans: Whole |
The very first thing you’ll notice with Mokafe Premium Haitian coffee is its aroma. The manufacturer packages the whole beans pretty much seconds after roasting them and vacuum seals it at the top. This helps retain all of the aroma and flavor in the beans.
The moment you open it is pretty much pure bliss due to how amazing the smell is. But be quick with taking out as many as you need and re-sealing the package to not let the rest of the aroma escape.
The best thing about this Haitian coffee brand is that it comes in all roast methods. You can get light, medium or dark, whichever you prefer. I went for the medium roast because I wanted to see the actual taste of the sweet and chocolatey undertones that are typical for coffee from Haiti.
And I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed. It’s not the best coffee I’ve had in my life, but it certainly is one of the good ones. If you prefer a more acidic taste to your coffee, I suggest buying the light roast, or if you prefer a more bitter taste, then go for the dark roast.
|
Price: $13.80 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 12 oz |
|
Type: Arabica |
|
Roast: Medium-Dark |
|
Producer: Singing Rooster |
|
Beans: Ground |
Although not a high-end single-origin coffee with distinctive taste characteristics and pour-over properties, this coffee is excellent for immersion techniques (particularly the French Press) or simple drip machines.
Not just that, but knowing that every drink helps to sustain a shattered economy and a struggling country makes it taste even better. I’ll be brutally honest though. This was by for not my favorite from the list, but I decided to include it nonetheless, in case somebody doesn’t have a grinder at home and wants pre-ground Haitian coffee beans.
I’d give it around 6/10 for the taste and price, but I wouldn’t say it was the worst coffee I’ve ever had.
|
Price: $29.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 20 oz |
|
Type: Arabica |
|
Roast: Medium |
|
Producer: Bon Kafe |
|
Beans: Whole |
Another essential Coffee brand type that should be noted here is Bon Kafe Premium Haitian. Here is another tasty and simple method to support the coffee producers of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest region.
My main motivation for purchasing this was to support free trade coffee producers in Haiti. These will be something I purchase regularly from now on. It was a very decent coffee with rich flavor and an excellent smell of fresh coffee beans.
The price itself isn’t the absolute best we’ve seen before, but for Haitian brew coffee, I think it’s more or less okay. Whatever it takes to support a local business that makes a high-quality product is well worth the money in my opinion.
Let’s now discuss different brews we tried and liked with these Haitian coffee brands. There were some we enjoyed more than others for sure.
Haitian coffee beans provide great Espresso. Their medium body and creaminess offer the ideal circumstances for Espresso or Espresso-based drinks, providing a firm foundation on which to build without overwhelming the coffee with its own taste profile. There are few essential steps that should be followed:
Doing all of this with Haitian blend coffee is definitely going to yield completely different results than you expect. So be ready for an explosion of flavor!
Since Haitian coffee is pretty low in acidity, the Doppio is a really good option. Doppio coffee is a double Espresso shot. Even the name translates to “double” from Italian.
If you want to brew a Doppio with organic Haitian coffee you need to follow these steps:
Click Here for Our Doppio Guide
If you want to make a Cappuccino with Haitian coffee beans, then I suggest you only use dark roast beans for it. The frothy milk may dilute the taste of strong coffee too much, leaving you with just an aftertaste. However, a dark roast Espresso with Haitian coffee beans paired up with the frothy milk is for sure going to yield an amazing cup of java you’ll enjoy.
Click Here for Our Cappuccino Guide
If you want to taste the natural flavors of Haitian coffee, then an Americano should be your best bet. Make sure to choose medium roast beans for this, because light roast will be way too acidic, and dark roast will be way too bitter. The medium roast helps the flavors shine through much better. If you make it into a cold brew, then the flavors should be much more robust, but a hot brew is good enough too.
Check here for Americano Guide
