In this episode, we’re digging into Mexican coffee: where it came from, why the industry rose and then took a hard hit, and why so much of it ends up in our cups here in the US. Plus, I share what I tasted in my honey-processed vs. washed process taste test, and the results surprised me.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How coffee arrived in Mexico in the late 1700s, and why it didn’t really take off until after the Mexican Revolution
• The rise and collapse of the Mexican Coffee Institute (INMECAFÉ), and how Mexico went from the world’s fourth largest coffee producer to around tenth
• The predatory brokers called “coyotes” (yes, really) and how the fair trade label was born in Oaxaca
• Mexico’s four main coffee growing regions: Chiapas, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Puebla, and what makes each one special
• Why Mexican coffee tends to be balanced, with those chocolate, caramel, and toffee notes I can’t get enough of
• A fun decaf fact: what “MWP” (Mountain Water Process) on your bag means, and why it’s Mexico’s answer to Swiss Water
• Why a country that grows so much arabica imports robusta for its instant coffee
• My honey processed vs. washed taste test, and what’s coming next (hint: Kenya)

Timestamps:

• 00:00 How Mexican coffee picked me
• 03:34 A quick history of coffee in Mexico
• 06:38 The silver lining: fair trade and the Max Havelaar Foundation
• 07:47 Coyotes, the predatory coffee brokers
• 08:40 Mexico’s coffee growing regions
• 11:31 What Mexican coffee tastes like
• 11:51 Your decaf might be from Mexico
• 12:43 Robusta and Mexico’s instant coffee habit
• 13:46 The taste test: honey vs. washed
• 17:12 What’s next: an anaerobic fermentation coffee from Kenya

Guest Grinds of the Week:

• Lone Pine Roasters (Bend, OR): Mexico, washed process
• Back Porch Coffee Roasters (Bend, OR): Honey Bear, honey processed
• Keebler Coffee Roasters (Longview, WA): Mexico, washed process

Resource:

• The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann: order your copy here
• ☕ My home coffee setup: the grinder, mug, and brewers I actually use every morning → Shop my coffee essentials As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show!

Coming up: Thanks to a Threads recommendation, a Memphis coffee shop is sending me an anaerobic fermentation coffee from Kenya. I can’t wait to taste how it compares.

If you love learning a little more about your daily cup, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And if you’ve got a coffee-loving friend who’d enjoy this, send them your favorite episode. I’d love for them to join us.

Got a Guest Grind recommendation? Tell me! I’m always looking for my next bag.