Puerto Rican Coffee: Production, Regions, Taste, and Best Brands
Updated - Team Colipse
Puerto Rican coffee is Arabica coffee grown in the island’s volcanic soil, mainly in the central mountain region. Puerto Rico is a small specialty producer: the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture counted 2,983 coffee farms that harvested 53,940 cwt of coffee. Coffee in Puerto Rico is primarily grown in the mountainous regions of Yauco, Adjuntas, Maricao, and Lares. Puerto Rican coffee tastes smooth and rich, with chocolate, caramel, and nut notes, balanced by low acidity and a sweet, full body.
To make traditional Puerto Rican coffee, brew café con leche with a coffee sock using equal parts strong coffee and sweetened foamy milk. Top brands include 787 Coffee, Alto Grande, Café Rico, Gustos, Yaucono, Baraka, and Hacienda La Tradición. The best Puerto Rican coffee alternatives are Colombian for balance, Guatemalan for bold complexity, Costa Rican for bright acidity, and Ethiopian for fruity floral notes.
What is Puerto Rican Coffee?
Puerto Rican coffee refers to coffee grown and processed in the island’s volcanic soil and high-altitude regions. Puerto Rican coffee grows mainly in the Cordillera Central mountain range, including Yauco, Adjuntas, Maricao, and Lares. Puerto Rican coffee lacks formal legal protection under GIs or U.S. trademark law, unlike Hawaiian Kona coffee.
Puerto Rican coffee is mostly Arabica (Coffea arabica), while Robusta (Coffea canephora) is not grown commercially in Puerto Rico, according to the USDA National IPM Database Crop Profile for Coffee in Puerto Rico (2001).
Coffee plantations in Puerto Rico cultivate the Bourbon, Typica, Catimor, Pacas, and Pacamara varieties. They are shade-grown, handpicked, and known for bright acidity, medium body, and citrus, chocolate, and floral notes.
In Puerto Rico, coffee is simply called “café” in Spanish. People also use affectionate terms like “un cafecito” for a small coffee, “café con leche” for coffee with milk, and “café priéto” or “café puya” for strong black coffee. The terms “Puerto Rican coffee,” “Puerto Rican style coffee,” and “Puerto Rican coffee blend” differ.
“Puerto Rican coffee” means beans grown in Puerto Rico. “Puerto Rican style coffee” means how coffee is prepared or served on the island. “Puerto Rican coffee blend” means a mix of Puerto Rican beans with beans from other regions.
Does Puerto Rico Grow Coffee?
Yes, Puerto Rico grows coffee. Coffee reached Puerto Rico in the 1730s and became a major crop by the early 1800s. Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu brought coffee plants to Martinique around 1720; coffee reached Puerto Rico around 1736 from the French Caribbean (often via Santo Domingo), not by de Clieu himself.
Most coffee production in Puerto Rico occurs at elevations above 400 meters (1,300 ft), according to a 2017 study published in Journal of Insect Science by Yobana A Mari. These mountain conditions create cool climates and steady rain that support Arabica coffee and limit coffee berry borer pests (Hypothenemus hampei).
Most Puerto Rican coffee grows in shade because climate change makes sun-grown coffee increasingly vulnerable, according to the USDA Caribbean Climate Hub article Too Hot for Coffee! Warming Temperatures in Puerto Rico Present a Challenge to Coffee Growers. A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Climatology by Samuel J. Fain from the USDA Forest Service found that rising temperatures could reduce climate suitability for Arabica coffee in Puerto Rico’s highlands by mid-century.
How Much Coffee Does Puerto Rico Produce?
Puerto Rico produces small volumes of coffee, focusing on high-quality Arabica for local use and niche U.S. markets.
Coffee sales from the 2022 Census of Agriculture were about $18.2 million from 2,449 farms reporting sales.
The 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture recorded 53,940 cwt harvested on 18,961 cuerdas across 2,983 farms, up from 2,292 farms and 13,283 cuerdas in the 2018 post-hurricane census.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 destroyed about 80% of coffee trees (Ley 78 of 2019; World Coffee Research estimates cited by the U.S. Forest Service). Recovery is slow because coffee trees take 3–4 years to bear fruit.
Is Puerto Rico Known for Coffee?
Yes, Puerto Rico is known for coffee. Puerto Rican coffee is special for its smooth, low-acidity profile with chocolate, caramel, and fruit notes.
Puerto Rico is known for traditional coffee brewing methods. The most iconic is café colao, made with a Puerto Rican coffee maker called a “colador” or “coffee sock.” A traditional Puerto Rican coffee maker is made from a wooden handle holding a wire hoop that supports a cloth filter bag. Puerto Ricans also use the stovetop greca for strong espresso-style coffee.
Puerto Rico is known for coffee events and festivals. The most famous is the Fiesta Nacional del Acabe del Café in Maricao, which celebrates the end of the coffee harvest.
The Maricao Coffee Festival is an annual February event in Maricao that features coffee tastings, barista competitions, traditional food, artisan crafts, live music, and parades.
Puerto Rico is famous for its coffee museums, with the most popular being the Coffee Museum in Ciales called Museo del Café de Puerto Rico.
The Coffee Museum in Ciales is a cultural institution dedicated to Puerto Rico’s coffee heritage. It displays historic tools, documents, and artifacts related to coffee cultivation and processing. Visitors can tour exhibits, taste local coffee, and learn about Puerto Rican coffee culture.
Where is Coffee Grown in Puerto Rico?
Coffee in Puerto Rico is primarily grown in the mountainous regions of Yauco, Adjuntas, Maricao, and Lares. These four regions produce nearly all of the island’s coffee.
Other notable coffee-growing areas include Jayuya, Ciales, Utuado, and San Sebastián. Puerto Rican coffee thrives in the central highlands, often above about 400 meters (1,300 ft), and is cultivated on nearly 3,000 mostly family-run farms. Many farms are small holdings of only a few acres.
What are the Coffee Producing Regions in Puerto Rico?
The five top coffee producing regions in Puerto Rico are listed below.
- Yauco
- Adjuntas
- Maricao
- Lares
- Ciales
1. Yauco
Yauco refers to a municipality in Puerto Rico known as the “Pueblo del Café” (Town of Coffee). Yauco has a history of coffee cultivation since the 19th century.
Historically, Puerto Rico had 850 coffee plantations, many located in Yauco.
The main Yauco coffee beans include Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Catuaí, all Arabica varieties. Yauco coffee farms vary in size, with many family-owned and ranging from 1 to 100 acres. Popular Yauco coffee tours include visits to plantations like Hacienda Caracolillo and Hacienda Masini, offering insights into cultivation and processing. The Yauco Coffee Festival is an annual celebration in late February with competitions, tours, and events.
2. Adjuntas
Adjuntas refers to a mountainous coffee municipality in Puerto Rico’s Cordillera Central. Adjuntas is located west-central on the island, near Utuado, Lares, Yauco, and Ponce. Adjuntas operates 508 coffee plantations as of 2022.
There are several coffee estates in Adjuntas, including Sandra Farms, which covers 225 acres, and Hacienda Tres Ángeles, which produces about 18,000 pounds of Arabica coffee each year. The main coffee bean types in Adjuntas are Arabica varieties, including Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, and Catuaí. The best coffee tours in Adjuntas include Sandra Farms, Hacienda Tres Ángeles, and Hacienda Melín.
3. Maricao
Maricao is a municipality in western Puerto Rico known as the "City of Coffee." Maricao produces high-quality Arabica coffee.
There are coffee farms in Maricao ranging from small to large, including a 240-acre plantation Hacienda Caracolillo, called the “jewel of Café Yaucono.” The main coffee bean types include Arabica varieties such as Limaní, Frontón, Obatá, Acauá, and Marsellesa. The best coffee tours in Maricao feature estates like Hacienda Iluminada and Hacienda Caracolillo, where visitors experience farming and sample specialty coffees.
4. Lares
Lares refers to a municipality in Puerto Rico with a strong coffee tradition and historical significance. Lares is located in Puerto Rico’s central-western region, north of Maricao and Yauco.
Lares produces around 17,379 cwt of coffee, approximately 788 metric tons, according to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The regions has over 800 coffee farms operating as small family holdings. The main coffee beans produced in Lares are Arabica varieties, especially Bourbon and Typica. The best Lares coffee tours include Hacienda Lealtad and Hacienda Los Eucaliptos.
5. Ciales
Ciales refers to a Puerto Rican municipality and town named after a Taíno word meaning "stony place" or "place of stones." Ciales is located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, northwest of Orocovis and part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Ciales produces coffee in Puerto Rico, but exact contribution data is unavailable. Main Ciales coffee bean types include Bourbon, Typica, Pacas, Catimor.
What Does Puerto Rican Coffee Taste Like?
Puerto Rican coffee tastes smooth, full-bodied, and well-balanced with low acidity.
Puerto Rican coffee has natural sweetness with chocolate and caramel notes, not typical added sweetness. It offers smooth and balanced taste that leaves a pleasant and lingering flavor on the palate. It often presents a smooth and full-bodied profile with hints of toasted nuts.
Is Puerto Rican coffee strong? It can taste strong when brewed as espresso or café puya, but the beans are Arabica. A typical 1 oz (30 ml) espresso shot is about 63–75 mg of caffeine (USDA average to common café shots), and drip coffee is near the USDA 95 mg per 8 oz (237 ml) average. Drip or pour-over cups are usually smoother and medium-bodied.
Is Puerto Rican Coffee Good?
Yes, Puerto Rican coffee is good because it grows in volcanic soil at high altitudes with ideal rainfall and shade. Some Puerto Rican specialty lots score in the 80s on cupping scales; Perfect Daily Grind notes many island coffees land in the low to mid-80s.
In August 2023, Forgotten Forest’s Tanama Domenico Celli Borrero anaerobic natural scored 92 on Coffee Review, the highest Puerto Rican score on that site at the time. Baraka Coffee co-founder Eduardo Trabada discussed that milestone publicly; the reviewed coffee was from Forgotten Forest, not a Baraka bag.
However, Puerto Rican coffee faces challenges that limit its quality compared to Colombia, Brazil, or Ethiopia. Puerto Rican farmers lose competitiveness because of U.S. federal minimum wages and high input costs, while Colombia and Ethiopia gain advantage with lower-cost labor and larger rural workforces.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria destroyed up to 90% of coffee plants in 2017, and Hurricane Isaias in 2020 worsened losses. Since the 1990s, over 10,000 farmers abandoned coffee for alternative crops.
How to Make Puerto Rican Coffee?
To make Puerto Rican café con leche, start by brewing strong coffee with finely ground Puerto Rican beans using a coffee sock ("colador").
Heat whole milk with sugar until foamy, then mix equal parts hot coffee and milk. Serve immediately in small cups. This traditional method creates a rich, balanced drink enjoyed with breakfast. Follow the six-step recipe below to make Puerto Rican coffee.
- Brew strong coffee using finely ground Puerto Rican beans.
- Heat water to a simmer, not a rolling boil.
- Add ground coffee and stir gently for one minute.
- Strain coffee through a cloth filter called a "colador."
- Heat whole milk with sugar until foamy.
- Combine hot coffee with milk in equal parts and serve.
What are the Best Puerto Rican Coffee Brands?
The seven best Puerto Rican coffee brands are listed below.
- 787 Coffee
- Alto Grande
- Café Rico
- Gustos Coffee
- Yaucono Coffee
- Baraka Coffee
- Hacienda La Tradicion
1. 787 Coffee
787 Coffee grows, processes, and roasts single-origin beans on its own farm, Hacienda Iluminada, in Maricao. It ranks as a top Puerto Rican brand for a true farm-to-cup model. Its Supremo 10 oz bag was listed from about $40 on 787coffee.com (whole bean or ground), with cafés in Puerto Rico, New York, New Jersey, and Texas.
2. Alto Grande
Alto Grande coffee is a Puerto Rican brand producing 100% Arabica beans in the ideal soil and climate of Puerto Rico’s Lares region. The taste of Alto Grande coffee features a full body, chocolate undertones, and a sweet pointed aroma.
Alto Grande coffee is among the best Puerto Rican coffee brands for unique quality, limited production, and historical prestige serving European royalty and the Vatican. An 8.8 oz Alto Grande canister was listed around $15–$25 on Amazon, and 2 lb whole-bean bags around $35–$48; prices vary by retailer. Buy from Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters or major retailers for reliable delivery.
3. Café Rico
Café Rico is a Puerto Rican coffee brand known for its strong, full-bodied flavor made from locally grown Arabica beans. Café Rico coffee delivers bold, aromatic taste with a medium-dark roast and smooth flavor compared to Italian-style coffee. Café Rico ranks among the best Puerto Rican coffee brands for consistent quality, traditional roasting, and rich heritage. Café Rico is widely sold in Puerto Rican groceries and online; prices vary by pack size and retailer.
4. Gustos Coffee
Gustos coffee is a Puerto Rican brand founded in 1999 that produces specialty coffee from local farms. Gustos coffee tastes rich and consistent, from handpicked, wet-milled cherries dried at low temperatures. Gustos coffee ranks among the top Puerto Rican coffee brands by supporting local farmers and maintaining strict quality control from farm to cup. The best place to find Gustos Coffee in the United States is online through its official website.
5. Yaucono Coffee
Yaucono Coffee is Puerto Rico’s biggest coffee brand, blending beans from across the island. Yaucono Coffee tastes smooth and chocolatey with fruity sweetness, mild acidity, and a gentle chocolate body. Yaucono Coffee is among Puerto Rico’s best brands for its rich flavor, consistent quality blending, and heritage since 1914. Yaucono is widely available online and in Puerto Rican product stores in ground, whole bean, and pod formats; prices vary by pack size.
6. Baraka Coffee
Baraka Coffee is a specialty coffee brand from Puerto Rico. Baraka Coffee tastes refined with natural processing and offers complex, high-quality flavors. This coffee scored 92 points in Coffee Review and ranks among the highest-quality Puerto Rican coffees.
Baraka Coffee applies experimental processing and educates consumers on specialty coffee. Baraka lists 8 oz bags from about $14 to $22 on barakacoffee.com, roasted to order and sold online.
7. Hacienda La Tradicion
Hacienda La Tradición Coffee is a Puerto Rican brand grown on a multigenerational family farm in Utuado. Hacienda La Tradición Coffee tastes exceptional, offering a fresh cup that reflects both traditional and innovative processing methods. It is among the top Puerto Rican brands because of ethical practices, eco-conscious methods, and excellent quality.
Where to Buy the Best Puerto Rican Coffee?
You can buy Puerto Rican coffee directly from plantations such as Hacienda Tres Ángeles in Adjuntas and Hacienda San Pedro in Jayuya to get fresh, high-quality specialty coffee. Popular coffee shops in Puerto Rico like Cuatro Sombras and Café Don Ruiz in Old San Juan sell premium single-origin Puerto Rican coffee. Local markets and specialty stores like Gustos in Miramar offer regional coffee blends. Or, explore other Latin American origins like Colombia or Costa Rica for beans with a similar flavor profile.
What is the Best Alternative to Puerto Rican Coffee?
The best alternative to Puerto Rican coffee is high-quality Latin American coffee, especially beans from Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala. These origins offer similar full-bodied profiles with chocolate, caramel, and nutty notes.
For example, Colipse Coffee offers single-origin Colombian Tolima or Colombian Excelso beans, which are ideal for espresso or drip brewing. At Colipse Coffee, we offer specialty-grade Latin American Arabica roasted to order, with bags starting at $22.99 per 12 oz (Honduras Copán, Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru among them), with free U.S. shipping.
How does Puerto Rican Coffee Compare?
Puerto Rican coffee is known for a rich, smooth flavor with low acidity, while many Latin American coffees, such as Colombian or Guatemalan, tend to have brighter acidity and more citrus or floral notes. Puerto Rico’s volcanic soil gives its beans a chocolatey, nutty profile that contrasts with the fruit-forward taste of other regions.
What is the Difference between Cuban and Puerto Rican Coffee?
The main difference between Cuban coffee and Puerto Rican coffee is flavor and preparation. Cuban coffee is a strong espresso sweetened with sugar during brewing, creating a thick crema. Puerto Rican coffee is smooth, medium to dark roasted, and often enjoyed black or with milk, highlighting balanced richness.