Most coffee connoisseurs are already familiar with some of the certifications most coffee producers must adhere to in order to be sold to markets as premium coffee. For example, some you may recognize are Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and USDA Organic.
But there is one characteristic of high-quality coffee that the average coffee drinker may not be aware of: shade-grown coffee.
Coffee plants naturally grow and thrive in the shade. Due to the regions where coffee grows, that shade typically comes from a forest canopy with tall trees and a diverse habitat.
When fully grown, coffee plants are generally the height of an average adult and tend to look like a beautiful, waxy green shrub. The plant is small enough to nestle under the much larger trees that surround it in a tropical setting. Therefore, it could be said that when coffee is "shade-grown," all that means is that it has been grown in its natural environment.
How do you know if your grains are grown in the shade?
First, we recommend you research your favorite coffee supplier. Find out where they source their coffee beans, specifically the name of the coffee farms, coffee importers, or coffee cooperative they use to determine if their coffee beans are shade-grown.
Does shade-grown coffee taste better?
While there isn't a wealth of measurable data proving that shade-grown coffee is superior, the main factor often cited is the overall quality of shade-grown beans. Now, shade-grown beans don't magically turn into something more than a typical coffee bean. But growing coffee plants in shade tends to produce very fine, high-quality beans.
They grow the way they were designed to grow and get enough nutrients to thrive. Sun-grown coffee plants, on the other hand, sit under the scorching sun all day, sacrificing quality and flavor for mass production.
Traditionally, all coffee was grown in the shade.
Traditionally, coffee was grown commercially under other shade trees. In fact, in its natural, wild state, coffee prefers shade in the heat of the tropics.
However, since the 1970s, new sun-tolerant coffee plants have been developed with the goal of producing higher production rates and higher yields through higher-density open plantations on large areas of land. Unfortunately, this open-plantation cultivation practice can become unsustainable and have a negative impact on the environment.
Nitrogen-fixing shade trees improve the soil and also provide habitat for birds. The birds, in turn, provide natural insect control with their constant foraging. This sustainable farming method uses few, if any, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Where does it come from?
There are many countries around the world known for their contribution to the coffee industry. However, there are a handful of countries that produce significant amounts of shade-grown coffee. Countries such as Timor, Sumatra, Ethiopia, and New Guinea are the most well-known areas that practice shade-grown coffee production, although there are many other coffee farms around the world that also practice it, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Certified by birds
What exactly is "bird-friendly coffee"? Since there's no official certification for shade-grown coffee itself, bird-friendly certification is one of the closest you can get. While finding coffee with this label can be challenging, it's automatically certified organic.
This certification requires that shade-grown coffee be grown in a forest with at least 40 percent shade for all coffee bushes. This requirement ensures that there are more than enough shade trees to solidify a healthy growing environment for the plants.
With its singular focus on flavor quality and environmental preservation, the growing practice of shade-grown coffee has set a new standard for the coffee industry as a whole. From the exceptional care farmers give their crops to the preservation of authentic flavor, shade-grown coffee is one of the most positive, enjoyable, and delicious types of coffee in the world today.