Tanzania is Africa’s third largest coffee producer, producing about 1% of the world’s Arabica coffee. Here is our Tanzania Coffee Guide
Let’s take you on a Tanzania Coffee Guide. Tanzania is known for its high-quality coffee, so many coffee addicts love it. Most Tanzania coffees share the characteristically sharp, winy acidity typical of African and Arabian coffees. They tend to be medium- to full-bodied and relatively rich in flavor. Other Tanzania coffees from the Kilimanjaro region may exhibit soft, floral profiles reminiscent of similar washed Ethiopia coffees.
WHERE IT GROWS?
Tanzanian arabica coffees are grown on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru in the Northern areas, under the shade of banana trees. It also grows in the Southern Highlands of Mbeya and Ruvuma regions, and Robusta coffee is grown in the western areas along Lake Victoria in the Kagera region.
ORIGIN
It was introduced into the Tanzanian region from modern-day Ethiopia in the 16th century. Coffee was not brewed in the region but was used as a stimulant. Through oral sources in the region, the Haya tribe, located in northwest Tanzania in the modern-day Kagera region, was the only recorded tribe that used coffee beans.
During the German colonization of the region in the late 19th century, the value of the crop in the region changed. In 1911, German colonists mandated planting Arabica coffee trees throughout the Bukoba region. The Germans introduced various laws that reduced the control of tribal leaders over crop cultivation, and coffee seeds were made widely available. The Haya tribe was forced to grow different food crops, such as bananas and pineapples, and were pressured to grow the new Arabica variant introduced by the Germans.
Tanzania Coffee Guide Tour in Moshi
Nowadays, most tourists come to Moshi because it is the starting point for climbing Kilimanjaro. With a few days before or after the trek, it is a must-visit to one of the coffee plantations around Moshi. Taking a coffee tour in Moshi is a great way to learn about the process of cultivating coffee and the way the Chagga tribe is using their farming in the highlands to grow high-quality beans.
Interestingly, coffee is a premium product in Tanzania; only 7% of the production is locally consumed. Coffee is much more expensive than tea, and when you visit Tanzania, it is normal for hotels to offer instant coffee instead of premium, grounded one.