Coffee Beans in Sri Lanka – Where To Buy & How To Brew

Did you know that Sri Lanka has a very long history of coffee compared to the majority of other countries? Coffee was first introduced here back in the 16th century by Arabs. Sri Lanka used to export almost 50,000 tons of coffee annually. The coffee industry had seen some difficulties by the end of the 19th century, owing to a disease called coffee rust. Since then, imports of coffee have risen to 600 tons annually as Arabica cultivars with improved resistance to rust were introduced, and hybrid coffee cultivations became popular.

In recent years, Sri Lanka coffee has gained a large following throughout the world, with coffee tasters describing it as smooth, rich, and chocolatey. Currently, the coffee produced in the country Includes Robusta and Arabica which are usually dry-processed.

Coffee is a well-respected product in Sri Lanka. If you are planning to visit, then make sure to take some of the coffee tours. Forget grocery store brands for the rest of your life after you try freshly grown and processed coffee beans. It’s eye-opening to witness how these Sri Lanka coffee beans are cultivated, harvested, and marketed. In this guide, we will be talking about everything you need to know about this coffee, including top products, recommended brewing methods, and the most important coffee-growing regions.

Coffee Production in Sri Lanka – Top Regions for Cultivation

As we already mentioned, there are two main types of coffees that are produced in the country – Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee is cultivated extensively in the highlands, whereas Robusta coffee is grown extensively in the lowlands. To be more precise, Arabica coffee favors moist and moderate zones with elevations above 2600 feet. Most grown areas are Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, and Badulla. Robusta coffee likes elevations less than 2600 feet. Robusta is mostly grown in the provinces of Kegalle, Kurunegala, Kandy, and Matale. The total area under cultivation for coffee is approximately 60,000 ha.

As for production levels, in 2019, Sri Lanka produced nearly 5,000 tonnes of coffee. Though coffee output in Sri Lanka has fluctuated significantly in recent years, it has tended to decline from 1970 to 2019. Nearly 80% of coffee output comes from the smallholding sector. Here’s the list of regions where you will most likely come across coffee production:

• Badulla
• Matale
• Nuwara Eliya
• Kandy

Top 5 Sri Lankan Coffee Brands on Amazon

Are you already intrigued by Sri Lankan coffee? If that’s the case, then it is natural that you will be looking for products in order to enrich your coffee drinking experience. I mostly buy my product from Amazon, as it has a great variety of choices, and additionally, you are able to buy your product with a single click, in less than 24 hours. You can also read the reviews from other people to know more about a specific product. That sounds pretty comfortable, right? In the list down below, you can check out the top 5 coffees – the list includes not only Sri Lankan coffee brands but also a mix of Indian coffee brands as well.

How We Rated Them

We pay attention to the following:

• Price
• Company Background
• Taste
• Shelf-life
• Additives

For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.

Individual Overviews of Our Top Choices

So, it might not be easy to choose the one from these 5. We decided to do individual overviews of our top choices, stating all the important features about them. That way, readers will be able to find out whether a specific product can be suitable for their taste or not. So, get ready and discover the best coffee brand in Sri Lanka.

Fresh Roasted Sri Lankan Coffee

The first on our list is Fresh Roasted Sri Lankan coffee. Before we talk about the product itself, I would like to mention a few facts about the company. This coffee is produced by Coffee Round the World which is a pretty reputable and experienced name in the coffee scene. The best thing about this company is that they let you choose coffee to your own specifications – You are able to choose both roast and grind. From my experience, their coffee is always delivered in a fresh manner, so the quality is not questionable at all.

If you want to buy the best Sri Lankan coffee, then this one might be a good option for several reasons. The first impression of the product is pretty good – It comes with an impressive packaging that has the description on it including the roasting date, flavor notes, etc. Other than that, this is an organic coffee that is not only rich and smooth but also introduces the notes of chocolate. It has no artificial ingredients in it, which means that you do not have to worry about health issues while consuming this product.

A 12-ounce package of Fresh Roasted Sri Lankan coffee costs $26.99 – some might think that this is a little expensive, however, due to the fact that the availability of this type of coffee is scarce, this one is still worth spending money on.

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Harischandra Ceylon Coffee Powder

The next one is a powdered coffee that is made from authentic Sri Lanka coffee beans. Although this is one of the best Sri Lankan coffee brands, this might still not be a good option if you are someone who loves fancy packaging and high-quality designs. As for the taste, I believe that this coffee will not be able to disappoint you.

One of the main reasons why we chose this product was the fact that it has a unique flavor, something that I have never tasted before (and I’ve tried a really high number of coffees during my lifetime). The product features earthy tones to its aroma and flavor and is very delicious. You can enjoy it in its natural form, however, I tried adding milk to it and the taste just got better. What’s even better is that the price of this product is pretty competitive considering the taste that you get. For a 7-ounce package, you have to pay $9.99 – You can find a bunch of worse products for a relatively higher price. All in all, I give my recommendations for this product as it gives you the ability to have an authentic taste of Sri Lankan coffee.

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EveryDay Coffee Tea

EveryDay coffee tea is something very unique – let me tell you the reason why. This drink consists of 70% milk tea and 30% fragrant white coffee. This gives the famous beverage a new level of flavor – one that is both healthful and full of subtle floral flavors. You are able to feel milky deliciousness in your everyday beverage thanks to New Zealand’s finest milk powder. Smooth on the mouth, milk improves the coffee’s flavor while providing a healthy dose of nutrients.

Another important fact this product features is that there is no trans fat or harmful cholesterol in it. The absence of trans fat indicates improved management of bad cholesterol levels. So the ones with health issues will not have to worry about additional problems that might be related to the coffee drinking process.

I believe that this one is a pretty good option for people that love tasting something unique – With this product, you will have the ability to taste both – coffee and tea. That sounds pretty exciting. For a 16-ounce package, you will have to pay $12.98 which I think is a pretty fair price due to the unique nature of the product.

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Panduranga South Indian Coffee

Brown Gold by Panduranga Coffee is a traditional mix of 85 percent coffee and 15 percent chicory. Brown Gold is the pinnacle of Arabica and Robusta blends, with a magnificent confluence of coffee flavors. Handpicked red cherries are meticulously prepared to capture the essence of the land. The arabica beans produced on the beautiful slopes of the Bababudan hills area are blended to provide a scent that can be enjoyed in every cup of this superb Brown Gold coffee mix.

Sri Lanka coffee quality is known as superior, that’s why this product can be a great replacement for it – Panduranga coffee is entirely natural and it includes no preservatives or additives. So, what are the exact characteristics of this coffee? Well, it is heavy-bodied, fragrant, with a rich mouthfeel and a nice mild bitter aftertaste. I have discovered that it can be brewed with different methods, however, each of them produces a different flavor. It might be a good idea for you to experiment and find the one that suits your interests the best. Brewing methods include Moka Pot, an automatic coffee maker, or a special South Indian coffee filter.

The majority of the reviews mention the fact that this is one of the best tasting South Indian coffee available for US customers. All in all, if you are someone who is looking for a high-quality product, then this one is definitely worth trying.

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Waka Instant Indian Coffee

We are happy to end our list with Waka Indian coffee. The main features of this product are light roast, low acidity, and a nice dry aftertaste with chocolate and hazelnut flavors. If you are looking for alternatives to island coffee Sri Lanka and additionally, enjoy the simplicity, then this product is definitely worth giving a chance.

So, I will name several different reasons why this coffee can be considered a high-quality product. First of all, you can take it with you everywhere – As long as you have hot water with you, preparing your coffee is super easy. Secondly, the packaging is very impressive. This premium instant coffee comes in an easy-to-use bag with a resealable zipper to keep your instant coffee fresh. This package contains approximately 35 servings of instant coffee per mug.

All in all, this coffee actually deserved my attention. Compared to regular coffees, this one seems to have more caffeine accompanied by a pleasant caramel taste. When it comes to alternatives to instant coffee brands in Sri Lanka, this one is a must-try!

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How To Make Coffee Sri Lankan Style

So, did you know that there is a special way for making coffee in Sri Lanka? The recipe is pretty simple and in order to start preparing your coffee with this method, you are going to need the following ingredients:

• Sri Lanka coffee beans

• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Sugar
• Ginger

Once you have gathered all these things, you are ready to start preparing your coffee. Simply follow the steps listed below:

1. Start with 250 grams of unroasted coffee beans.
2. Put your coffee beans into the pan and heat it on medium-low.
3. Wait for 5 minutes, then take beans off the heat and shake the pan to let the beans free from unnecessary parts.
4. Continue roasting – after 5 minutes add whole coriander seeds along with dried ginger and cumin seeds.
5. Stir the mixture and continue the roasting process for 15 minutes.
6. Once you turn off the heat, let the beans cool down and mix them.
7. Now it’s time to put the mixture in a coffee grinder
8. Once you grind your coffee, take a sifter and put your coffee into it.
9. Shake your sifter in order to get a clean coffee mixture that is ready for preparing

Once the coffee is ready, you can use whichever method you prefer for preparing it. Enjoy!

Recommended Machines for Brewing Sri Lankan Coffee Beans

There are a lot of different methods for brewing Sri Lankan coffee beans. Some people prefer to use manual brewing techniques – that way they can have more control over the whole process including the taste and strength. There are also fancier methods of brewing, technical advancements to coffee-making machines make it possible to simply click the “start” button and your coffee will be ready in 5 minutes. Whichever you decide to choose, we would still like to share our favorite methods for brewing Sri Lankan coffee.

Pour Over – Most Common for Instant Coffee

The pour-over method is one of the cheapest and easiest ways for making instant coffee. This method is mostly used by small coffee shops that you might be visiting every day, however, once you have all the necessary equipment, it is perfectly possible to make a pour-over coffee at home. Here’s the list of things you are going to need:

• Coffee
• Paper filter
• Pour-over brewer
• Water
• Kettle

Once you have all of these things, it’s time to start brewing your coffee. The process looks something like this:

1. Start by heating the water in your kettle
2. If you use a paper filter, it is important to get rid of the paper taste. That can be done by pouring water around the filter.
3. Grind your coffee.
4. Add coffee to your paper filter
5. Now it’s time to start pouring the hot water.
6. Pour a little amount of hot water over the grinds and let them absorb it. The grounds will swell, rise, and bubble. Let it bloom for 30 seconds.
7. Slowly pour the remaining water over the grounds. Begin in the middle and work your way out in a wider spiral to moisten all of the grounds equally.
8. Once this process is done, your coffee is ready to be poured.
9. Pour and enjoy!

Best Pour Overs

The Moka Pot – Cheaper Than Espresso Machine

The Moka Pot is a simple gadget that may help you make an excellent cup of coffee in a matter of minutes. To begin brewing, you will need a Moka Pot, as well as additional tools and materials such as:

• Water
• Coffee (preferably, Sri Lankan coffee beans)
• Grinder

When you have all of these components, you are ready to begin making your cup of coffee. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Begin by grinding your coffee with a grinder.
2. Fill your Moka Pot’s basket with coffee and level the grinds.
3. Fill the chamber with water.
4. Check that the Moka Pot is properly assembled.
5. Place your Moka Pot on the stovetop. The stove should be set at medium-low heat.
6. Begin the brewing procedure. The entire process should not take more than ten minutes.
7. After a few minutes, when your coffee begins to resemble golden honey, remove your Moka Pot from the heat source and pour it into a cup.
8. Enjoy!

Top Moka Pots

Frequently Asked Questions on Sri Lankan Coffee Beans