What is Tinto Coffee (From Colombia)?
For those of you who have been to Colombia and have any interest in coffee.
... Or for that matter are the slightest bit observant you will be familiar with Tinto.
Usually costing between 200-500 Cop ($0.5) it was one of my favourite things to do when I was exploring one of Colombia’s many vibrant cities or towns.
What is Tinto Coffee?
Roughly translated to ‘inky water’, Tinto is served in small 4oz cups and distributed by locals with thermos flasks that look like they haven’t had a days rest since they were purchased in the 90’s.
Free A2 Coffee Flavour Wheel Print?
The quality of coffee is undoubtedly questionable, this is no washed Andean peaberry batch brew and there are occasions where your coffee will be premixed with panela.
However the beauty of Tinto is surprisingly not the coffee.
It’s more so the activity and experience of buying a coffee as the locals do and taking a minute out to sit on the pavement and watch the mayhem of everyday life or grab one on your way to the gringo bus you’re already 10 minutes late for.
Colombia is overflowing with fantastic green coffee and is arguably leading the way in many areas of coffee production.
With a coffee culture that runs so deep into the peoples traditions, what greater way to celebrate it than to start your day trying to bumble your way though a conversation with a Tinto vendor drinking a cup of the black stuff.
Why do Colombians call coffee Tinto?
In Colombia, coffee is commonly referred to as tinto which means red wine in Spanish.
The term tinto is used to refer to the strong, dark coffee that is traditional in Colombia, which is often made by brewing the coffee for a longer period of time.
How is coffee served in Colombia?
Coffee is an important part of Colombian culture and is typically served strong and black.
It is often brewed using a traditional coffee pot called a "cafetera" or "chichera", which is similar to a French press.
The coffee is usually brewed with hot water and then poured into small cups called "tasas".
Most people add sugar to their coffee, but it is also common to drink it black.
Photo courtesy of Big Sur, Tintotinta and Barranquilla or Bust
