Getting to know venezuelan green gold
In Venezuela, coffee is called “El Oro Verde” (The Green Gold) because of its quality, yield and flavor. It is also a customary and traditional drink for all Venezuelan families. The coffee beverage is obtained from the roasted and ground seeds of the fruits of the coffee plant. It is a highly stimulating beverage due to its caffeine content, and is usually drunk at breakfast, after breakfast, or even as the only breakfast, although it is also usually drunk after lunch or dinner for conversation or just out of habit.
It is one of the most socializing non-alcoholic drinks in many countries. The most popular ways to drink it are black and with milk (with or without sugar); it is also usual to add cream, condensed milk, chocolate or some liquor depending on the recipe, since there are many ways to prepare it. It is usually served hot, but it can also be taken cold or with ice. It is important to note that the flavor of the coffee beverage changes with the degree of maturity of the seed.
Venezuela, potential in “Green Gold
Venezuela at the moment produces different varieties of coffee, in which they emphasize, the conventional type of coffee: Caturra, Catuai, Typica or Creole, Bourbon and Pacas. Among the resistant and/or tolerant ones to the Rust of the Coffee tree, they are: INIA 01, Araguaney and Montecarlo, Colombia 27, Castilla and Catimor. All of these are in the so called “Arabica Coffee” species that are developed with high quality in the country.
The regions with the highest coffee production are: The Eastern region, which includes the states of Monagas, Sucre and Anzoátegui; the Western region, where the states of Barinas, Lara, Portuguesa and Yaracuy are located; and finally the region of Los Andes, which includes the states of Trujillo, Mérida and Táchira, the latter being the pioneer states with the greatest coffee production due to the diverse conditions that favor the yield and productivity of this item, which for decades has been, after oil, one of the fundamental bases of the country’s economy.
Gourmet Coffee or Specialty Coffee
The special coffees known as “Gourmet Coffee”, are coffees that are cultivated in special and ideal environments and following some specific guidelines to guarantee the best flavor and quality. A specialty coffee is usually “Arabica” and is grown at altitudes above 800 meters. Technically, a coffee is considered “special” when it obtains a grade of at least 80 points on a scale of 100, a score obtained by a Certified Cupper.
Source: Agricultural Vision
