Galapagos Island Coffee Beans (Guide + Top Picks)

If you’ve never heard of Galapagos Islands coffee, you’re probably not alone. These rare beans haven’t had their time in the limelight (yet), but they have plenty to offer for the discerning coffee lover.

We look at what makes these beans unique and line up some of our favorite brands to try.

The Best Galapagos Coffee in 2021

Production of coffee in Galapagos is minimal, so you’re probably not going to find these beans at your local cafe. If you’re finding it hard to track them down, here are a few good brands to start your search with.

Image	Product	Details
Best Overall Best Overall	OMG Galapagos Island Coffee	Typica, Bourbon V60 method Whole bean	SEE ON AMAZON
Best Value Best Value	Adriano Cabrera Gourmet Galapagos Wild Coffee	Organic Arabica Cold brew method Ground, whole bean	SEE ON AMAZON
Budget Pick Budget Pick	Rapsodia Gourmet Galapagos Blend	Arabica blend French press Whole bean	SEE ON AMAZON

1. OMG Galapagos Island Coffee – Best Overall

• Bean type: Typica, Bourbon

• Best for: V60
• Ground or whole bean: Whole bean

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If you want to experience the typical flavors of coffee from Galapagos, start with these beans. They have the smooth caramel notes you should expect to find with mild acidity with a medium roast. The Coffee From Galapago brand also makes a light roast with more fruity flavors and a dark roast that allows notes of chocolate to develop.

Though it’s not always certified, this coffee is by definition organic. Because of the area’s status as a National Historic Park, the law forbid the use of any chemical fertilizer or pesticides (1). 

The OMG beans come from the island of Santa Cruz, selected from small family farms where it’s easier to maintain bio-agriculture standards. On the back of the pack, you’ll find a note. It lists some of the animals who are saved from destruction by this natural kind of farming.

2. Adriano Cabrera Gourmet Galapagos Wild Coffee – Best Value for Money

• Bean type: Organic Arabica

• Best for: Cold brew
• Ground or whole bean: Ground, whole bean

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Adriano Cabrera’s family history with coffee goes back three generations. This fact is impressive considering that people have been growing the crop on the Galapagos Islands since the late 1880s. Since the 1970s, he’s dedicated himself to the sustainable production of coffee at his farm in Santa Cruz.

While most Galapagos coffee is wash-processed, these Galapagos Wild Coffee beans are naturally-processed. The additional time in contact with the coffee cherry helps the beans develop fruitiness that complements the natural sweetness.

3. Zaruma Gold Mountain Coffee – Budget Pick

• Bean type: Bourbon, Caturra

• Best for: French press
• Ground or whole bean: Whole bean

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These coffee beans are going to change the way you think about low-altitude coffee. Farmers have been growing Zaruma Gold Mountain at a small farm on San Cristobal, sitting at just 886 feet above sea level. You’ll be surprised to discover a well-developed cup with notes of rich dark chocolate, nuts, and sweet stone fruit.

The brand started to support farmers in Zaruma, who weren’t receiving possible prices for their coffee. Zaruma Gold Mountain now sells coffee from particular growing areas of Ecuador, including the Amazon jungle and the Andes mountains. 

4. Rapsodia Gourmet Galapagos Blend – Budget Pick

• Bean type: Arabica blend

• Best for: French press
• Ground or whole bean: Whole bean

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Galapagos Coffee is not easy to come by, so your best option for getting your hands on it might be by way of a blend. This mix combines Galapagos beans with coffee with that from (kind of) nearby Ecuador. 

The Galapagos coffee is grown on the island of Santa Cruz under 100% natural growing conditions. The other part of the blend comes from the Loja growing region in the south of Ecuador. Coffees grown here are known for a fruity sweetness, which pairs well with the flavors of Galapagos coffee.

What makes Galapagos Islands coffee special?

On paper, the Galapagos Islands don’t seem like a great place for coffee growing. Most of the arable land sets below 2,500 feet – an altitude that usually produces bland or even poor-quality coffee. The law permits agriculture only on two islands, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, to protect the unique wildlife and ecosystem. But only San Cristobal has a source of fresh water (2). So how does this archipelago produce such great-tasting coffee beans?

Here, a special feature allows coffee farmers to produce beans on par with Mexican beans, Guatemalan beans, and coffee from the Dominican Republic. Flowing past the islands is the Humboldt Current, a low salinity ocean current originating as far south as Antarctica. The cool temperatures and moist air create a microclimate on parts of the Galapagos similar to what you might find at heights of more than 4,000 feet. 

The islands do have their strong points for coffee production too. The plants benefit from the rich, volcanic soil, generally shade-grown under native trees.

The result is coffee that’s far from bland, with a strong aroma and medium body. Galapagos Island beans have a sweet, caramel flavor, with hints of chocolate and fruit and sometimes nuts.

The Verdict

Now that you know a little more about Galapagos Island coffee, we hope that you’ll keep an eye out for it. We like OMG Galapagos Island Coffee because of its typical island flavor profile. Yet, with limited supplies, it’s worth trying anything you can get your hands on.