Kape Barako

Kape Barako, also spelled Baraco (English: Barako coffee) is a coffee varietal grown in the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. It belongs to the species Coffea liberica. The term is also used to refer to all coffee coming from those provinces. Barako is the Filipino term for the male stud of an animal, and has become associated with the image of a tough man.

Barako takes its name from the Tagalog word for ‘wild boar’ who are fond of dining on the plant’s leaves and berries.

The first Barako tree was a cutting from Brazil planted in the 1800s in Barangay Pinagtung-Ulan, Lipa City, Batangas( http://lipatourism.wordpress.com/culture/lipa-city-history/) by the family of Don H. Macasaet . Barako coffee has strong taste, flavor, and has a distinctively pungent aroma. All coffee grown in Batangas is generically called Barako.

In the 1880s, the coffee industry in the Philippines collapsed due to an infestation dubbed as "Coffee rust" as well as tough competition from coffee growers in South America and Vietnam. This has caused Kape Barako growers to shift to other crops, which has threatened the varietal with extinction.

Kape Barako is prepared using a drip brewing device, French press, or by simply pouring hot water unto the grounds and filtering the mixture using a piece of cloth. Barako is best sweetened with honey or brown sugar. Barako can be used to make espresso and other espresso-based drinks.

Barako (Liberica) is not a common coffee variety, accounting today for less than 1% of commercial coffee grown, although it is abundant in Southeast Asia especially in the Philippines. It is also produced in Malaysia, although it is typically not exported because most producers operate small farms and sell locally and to the tourist market. It has the largest leaves and beans of all the coffee varieties.

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