Introduction to Finca La Primavera, 2011 Colombia Cup of Excellence Champion Estate

FrontStreet Coffee · Colombia 2011 COE Champion Farm — La Primavera Estate

Colombia is currently the world's third-largest coffee-producing country, surpassed only by Brazil and Vietnam. Commercial cultivation began as early as the 1830s, and it was only in the 20th century that coffee became the largest export crop. The mountainous terrain combined with diverse tropical microclimates provides ideal growing conditions. A total of 75% of production is exported, making it the most important source of foreign exchange income.

Traditionally, mature cherries are processed using the washed method. Over the past 15 years, Colombia's coffee research center has developed an eco-friendly system that uses minimal water, reducing water pollution by 90% and water consumption by 95%. This technique both maintains ecological balance and improves quality. Small farms spread parchment beans on the flat roofs of their homes for sun-drying. Colombia's favorable climate and significant temperature variations allow for year-round production depending on the region. The main harvest runs from October to February of the following year, with November and December the peak period.

Main varieties include Caturra, Colombia, Tipica, Bourbon, Maragogype, and Tabi. More than 500,000 farmers operate farms and cooperatives of all sizes across the country, distributed throughout 590 municipalities and 14 major coffee-producing regions. A total of 2 million Colombians depend on coffee cultivation for their livelihood, contributing 12.5% to the gross domestic product.

Finca La Primavera: Championship Estate

Finca La Primavera is the finest farm of the Los Naranjos Coffee Association. In 2011 it won the COE coffee competition with an unprecedented price of $45 per pound. The farm owner is extremely proud of producing championship coffee; as a traceable micro-farm, this brings immense honor. Today owner Arnulfo is training his son at the Naranjos cupping laboratory, continuously innovating to find better varieties and methods and to taste glorious cups. Arnulfo said: "I must do something to dedicate to the support given by my wife and my children."

Property Characteristics

Farm: Finca La Primavera (La Primavera Estate)

Farmer: Arnulfo

Region: Hamlet of Nueva Zelanda, San Augustin Huila

Country: Colombia

Farm Size: 2.8 Hectares

Altitude: 1,840 meters

Certification: None

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Caturra

Processing System: Fully washed and sun dried on patios

Flowering period: September – October

Harvest period: March – July

Appearance: 16-17 screen

Grade: Farm Specific MicroLot

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level (Cinnamon) — 60 seconds after first crack begins

Aroma/Flavor: Almond, longan flower tea, dried longan, chocolate, caramel, peach, nectar, milk candy, raisins, aged tangerine peel, fig

Acidity: Grapefruit, lime, plum, with slight tannins

Complexity and Other: Jasmine floral notes, clean fruit aroma, special floral taste, brownie-like sweetness

Overall Style: Dark floral notes, dried fruit aroma, excellent nutty sweetness

Cupping Evaluation

Cupping Date: 2013.07.12

Dry Aroma: 9

Wet Aroma: 9

Clean: 9

Sweetness: 8

Acidity: 10

Mouthfeel: 8

Flavor: 9

Aftertaste: 9

Balance: 9

Overall: 9

Cupping Score: 89

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If competition-lot coffees like La Primavera have you curious about the balance and sweetness that make Colombian and, more broadly, Latin American coffees so appealing, FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado is a great everyday companion. A classic Brazil single origin and one of South America's common Red Bourbon varieties, it is roasted medium and shows cream peanut, toasted bread, caramel and hazelnut aromas with a rounded, low-acid, faintly bittersweet body. It works as pour-over but also in a moka pot, as an espresso SOE, in a siphon, or in a French press.

For something sweeter and rarer, FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate comes from Mogiana, near Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil feeds the fruit into full aroma. Its variety is the uncommon Yellow Bourbon, a mutation of Red Bourbon with a cleaner fruity character. Brewed as pour-over, in a moka pot, or on a home espresso machine, it shows a sugarcane sweetness other regions don't offer, along with fruit and chocolate notes.

Brazil's low acidity, balance and friendly price also make it the backbone of many espresso recipes: FrontStreet Classic Blend for rich crema, Premium Blend for its nutty character, Black Cocoa for balance, and Commercial Blend for shops — all contain Brazilian beans that contribute chocolate and cream aroma plus a soft sweet-sour-bitter balance that keeps extraction stable.