Day 12: Papua New Guinea, Mount Hagen
Day 12 of the RISE Coffee Countdown Calendar - Papua New Guinea, Mount Hagen
Origin: Papua New Guinea (PNG)
Location: Mount Hagen
Altitude: 1,900 masl
Bean: Arabica
Varietals: Bourbon
Process: Sundried
Tasting notes: Citrus, blackcurrant and caramel
Why Alice and Ben love it: With our RISE coffee box subscription we love trying new, exciting, and intriguing coffee origins—and it doesn’t get more fascinating than Papua New Guinea. Just 1% of the world’s coffee comes from PNG, yet it is among the most unique and distinctive.
About the coffee:
Mount Hagen is the third-largest city in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and serves as the capital of the Western Highlands Province. It is a vibrant hub for commerce, culture, and agriculture in the highlands region, nestled in the fertile Waghi Valley surrounded by towering mountain ranges.
Papua New Guinea has plentiful rain and rich volcanic soils which provide ideal growing conditions for coffee. Coffee is the number one cash crop in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and it is estimated that more than 80% of the country’s coffee comes from this region. In addition, a whopping 40% of the country’s total population depend both directly and indirectly on money earned from coffee production to purchase household goods, pay children’s school fees and provide clothing and medicines.
While PNG coffee is less mainstream than other origins, its reputation in specialty coffee circles is growing, making it a hidden gem for connoisseurs.
Fun fact: Mount Hagen Coffee is also the name of a popular instant coffee brand, which markets freeze-dried organic coffee sourced from Papua New Guinea... but don't worry, no instant coffee to be found here!
