South America, earlier known simply as America (1507–1538), is a continent located in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest.
The continent of South America (including Central America) is one of the biggest growers and exporters of coffee, along with Africa. Some examples of famous coffee countries within South America are Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.
Coffee beans cultivated in South America typically have stronger, bolder notes than those grown elsewhere with tastes of chocolate, nut and caramel. For this reason, South American coffees beans are more often brewed as espresso or French press, which are two types of coffee preparation that naturally bring out similar notes which compliment the South American coffee bean. Due to the huge export and availability of South American coffees, particularly Brazilian, it is still common to see South American coffees being brewed using lighter methods, such as filter coffee brewing.
South American coffees are highly respected in coffee culture and are often the bean of choice in speciality coffee shops.
Due to their dark tasting properties, South American coffees would typically be roasted medium and not dark, so as not to overwhelm the pallet with intense tasting notes.