Coffee flavor is influenced by countless factors, including the microclimatic conditions of the region where it is grown, which mainly depend on temperature, humidity, wind, altitude, topography, soil type, rainfall, access to sunlight, and surrounding vegetation.Cooler mountain temperatures generally provide a slower growth cycle for the coffee tree which prolongs bean development. This longer maturation process imbues the coffee bean with more complex sugars, yielding denser beans with deeper and more compelling flavors. Better drainage at high elevations also reduces the amount of water in the fruit resulting in a further concentration of flavors. <img src=https:////images.ctfassets.net/cnll30qvlgjw/6BdQgYPq32VIfgyOnLheVF/7e9296f4a3141d7b3e12245cc3ae4838/IMG_8491.jpg></img><h3>The highest-grown coffees are not necessarily always superior. </h3>The best example is Kona, Hawaii where 762 meters elevation is the highest one can grow coffee. Most Kona coffee grows far below that altitude but the Microclimatic conditions and the mineral-rich volcanic soil create ideal coffee-growing conditions.Also, while some of the best Ethiopian coffees are grown in the vicinity of 1800 meters and have unique floral aromas they lack the intense acidity of some high-altitude Kenyan coffees. This could be attributed to soil differences and/or the radically different varieties of Arabica coffee grown in these two countries.<img src=https:////images.ctfassets.net/cnll30qvlgjw/005znMGBS43QeTjFedcE0/d44f13160cc16896e3bb22124d2ae76d/IMG_8490.JPG></img>

Outside of varietal characteristics, elevation is arguably one of the most important factors affecting your coffee's flavor notes. 

How elevation affects the taste of coffee 

We have cupped hundreds of samples from all around the world in the past few months. We&#39;ve smelled, slurped and sipped cup after cup searching for gems.Some of these coffees were amazing, had wild aromas and flavor, but we didn&#39;t know much about them apart from that. We could have just put them straight on the menu, tagged tasting notes and a description onto them, and gone from there.But we wanted to know more, wanted to know the stories behind each sip, we wanted to connect with the people behind those coffees and know how it journeyed from some hills thousands of miles away somewhere into our hands in Montreal.<img src=https:////images.ctfassets.net/cnll30qvlgjw/6fXalSTo8fyrQCWP2aDTgt/c274ca7652671940561c12e7112139e4/030010790003.jpg></img>Colombia was of one the origin we&#39;ve been looking into for a few years, so we decided to pack up and go meet the growers.Whether you buy a cup of coffee or brew some at home, it&#39;s important to understand that it&#39;s the result of a huge intermingling of human stories, patterns of people spanning continents, individual passions, and international systems coming together to deliver you that experience everyday.From the first appearance of the cherries on the trees to the hand picking, sorting and processing. The drying and the bagging. The warehouses and the transportation, the journey it takes from continent to continent, from hand to hand. The coffee bean&#39;s journey will take months, and every step is marked with real people, families, and lives that depend on this bean.<h3>At its best, ethical coffee production can serve whole communities, giving families and individuals meaningful careers and reliable incomes.</h3>Our Colombian coffee is stored at the Monkaba Collective warehouse, nestled in center of San Agustin, It&#39;s watched over by Didier and Esnaider Ortega along with Miguel Augusto, coffee growers who are part of the Monkaba Coffee Growers Collective.<img src=https:////images.ctfassets.net/cnll30qvlgjw/5cf82Sk6t9n7WBLundsyg6/25affb44baf46c8ea2fc34b024574d3f/030010790018.jpg></img><h3>This collective is made up of over 50 families that are scattered around the region but have come together to guarantee that coffee production in the area works for the people at the heart of all of this-those who actually grow the coffee.</h3>During our time there, their commitment to making a positive and lasting impact in the coffee world truly inspired us.Their ethical and inclusive practices and their complete transparency speak to the values we hold most vital to us, that we want to see flourish and take root in the world of coffee.

At its best, ethical coffee production can serve whole communities, giving families and individuals meaningful careers and reliable incomes.

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