Arguably the best part of Dominican coffee culture is that there’s never a wrong time to drink it. Visitors to the country are regularly offered a delicious cup of joe at any and all hours of the day.
In fact, the Dominican Republic produces nearly 500,000 bags of premium, Arabica beans each year. Yet, the country exports less than a quarter of their coffee due to the high volume of domestic coffee consumption.
In other words, Dominicans love their coffee. And how could they not? This tiny Caribbean nation has the perfect coffee-growing climate for cultivating specialty beans.
Don’t fret if you can’t jump on a plane to the Carribean, we have the next-best thing – a list of the very best Dominican coffee beans that are guaranteed to transform your mundane morning cup of joe into a tropical coffee-drinking dream.
5 Best Dominican Coffee Brands
Dominican Coffee Flavor Profile
Dominican coffee is said to represent the country’s culture in a cup. In fact, coffee is the Dominican national non-alcoholic drink and declining a cup of joe is the easiest way to offend a local.
Like their Caribbean coffee-cultivating counterpart, Puerto Rico, Dominican beans are known to be rich, full-bodied, and highly aromatic. Though Dominican beans have a reputation for being ‘earthy,’ some varietals will offer sweet notes of chocolate and/or berries.
The very best Dominican beans are also grown at high altitudes, lending nicely to their liveliness and moderate acidity.
Dominican Coffee Growing Regions
The Dominican Republic’s government takes coffee-cultivation very seriously.
In addition to establishing an ADOCAFES association to perfect the flavor profile of the country’s beans, the government has also established several distinct coffee-growing regions – Cibao, Barahona, Noroeste, Neyba, Sierra Sur, Sierra Occidental, and Sierra Central.
Each coffee-growing region contains a variety of microclimates that produce unique and dynamic flavor-profiles. In fact, there are more than 25 individual production zones centered around the island’s four mountain ranges.
The four best-known market names in the Dominican include Cibao, Bani, Ocoa, and Barahona – the latter three receiving the most praise.
Barahona
Barahona beans are generally considered the Dominican’s very best gourmet beans. Known for their rich flavor profile and lively acidity, Barahona beans are often compared to premium Jamaican and Puerto Rican coffee. These beans are grown at high elevations in the southeast region of the island.
Bani and Ocoa
Unlike the robust Barahona bean, Bani and Ocoa beans are known for their mild acidity and subtlety. In fact, Bani and Ocoa beans are typically referred to as ‘soft’ and ‘smooth’ rather than full-bodied or bold.
But that’s not to say that Bani and Ocoa beans don’t have a lot to offer – both beans offer a healthy variety of flavor notes and are known to be the perfect base for a flavorful cup of joe.
Cibao
Like Barahona coffee, Cibao is known to be full-bodied and packed with flavor. However, Cibao beans are far less acidic than their Barahona counterparts and tend to be much sweeter. Cibao is grown on the north end of the country and specialty Cibao beans, also known as Ciabao Altura, are grown at high elevations.
Conclusion
The Dominican Republic produces some of the best coffee in the world. The country’s high-elevation, premium beans are rarely blended with subpar beans and are universally enjoyed in the coffee-loving community.
So, if you haven’t had a chance to dabble in Caribbean beans, Dominican Republic coffee is the perfect place to start.