The Story and Origins of Washed Premium Coffee Beans from Cauca, Colombia

Cauca's Unique Climate

Perhaps the biggest climatic difference between Cauca and other producing regions is its relatively wide temperature variation. The average daily temperature is 11°C, while the average daytime temperature is 18°C. This day-night temperature swing is a crucial factor in creating high-quality coffee. Lower nighttime temperatures combined with relatively higher altitude slow the coffee's growth rhythm, letting the seeds and beans absorb nutrients from the coffee fruit more fully. That also produces the better acidity in Cauca coffee and its particularly praised sweetness.

Traditional Processing Methods

Following Colombia's fine traditions, Cauca coffee is hand-picked and wet-processed. Also, while many coffee-producing regions have replaced ancient varieties with new ones to chase better disease resistance and higher yields, Cauca has remarkably kept predominantly Caturra varieties, along with ancient Typica and Bourbon.

Brewing Instructions

Hand-poured Colombian coffee: use 15 g of coffee at a medium grind (small Fuji ghost tooth burr #4), a V60 dripper, and 88-89°C water. First pour 30 g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105 g and pause, wait until the water level drops to half, then slowly pour until you reach a total of 225 g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Colombia Cauca Best Cup Regional Select Sua

Country: Colombia

Grade: Cup of Excellence

Region: Cauca Department

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Processing Method: Washed

This batch comes from Colombia's Cup of Excellence special selection. Variety: Caturra. Processing: fully washed, sun-dried.

Variety: Caturra

Batch: Special Selection Micro-batch

Flavor Notes: Nuts, dark chocolate, caramel

Origin Introduction

Cauca Department, named after the Cauca River, is located in southwestern Colombia. Along with Narino Department and Huila Department, it is one of Colombia's important specialty coffee-producing regions.

Cauca Department is a Colombian coffee origin-certified region with an average altitude of 1758 m, with the highest altitude reaching up to 2100 m. The region's topography, precipitation, temperature, and volcanic soil create ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

The main flavor characteristics of Cauca coffee prominently reflect wonderful acidity and beautiful sweetness, alongside Colombia's typical mild mouthfeel, which is why the region's coffee is so sought after by buyers. High-quality Cauca coffee typically shows rich floral notes, high acidity, pleasant sweetness, medium body, and a clean, gentle, well-balanced flavor.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop

Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City

Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473

Shelf Life: 90 days

Net Content: 227g

Packaging Method: Bulk coffee beans

Raw/Roasted Level: Roasted coffee beans

Contains Sugar: Sugar-free

Origin: Colombia

Roast Level: Medium Roast

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To understand the Colombian profile, start with FrontStreet's washed Huila. Huila is the country's most famous specialty region, a mountainous area at 1,500 meters and above where Colombia's most important rivers converge, bringing rich water and humidity. Roasted medium-dark, it emphasizes dark chocolate and nutty sweetness with moderate oil and a full body, and it works for pour-over, French press, Moka pot, and espresso - straight Americanos or lattes alike.

If you want to see where modern Colombia is heading, FrontStreet's Sidra from the Border Estate is a great example. It uses an anaerobic natural process that transforms the coffee into something with more tropical fruit aroma, and roasted medium-light it shows complex passion fruit, grape, apricot, and preserved fruit notes as pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or Moka pot.

And for anyone with a home espresso machine or a Moka pot, FrontStreet's Premium Blend is the barista's recommendation. It combines the creamy, nutty character of Brazilian coffee with the dark chocolate bittersweetness of Colombian coffee, pulling a fine golden crema that pairs beautifully with milk in a rich, smooth latte, and it is friendly enough for beginners to use as a base for Americanos, cappuccinos, and mochas.