Introduction to Colombia's Huila Coffee Region | Colombian Coffee Guide

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Colombian Coffee Geography and Grading

Three Cordillera mountain ranges run north-south throughout Colombia, extending into the Andes Mountains. Local coffee farmers plant coffee along the highlands of these mountain ranges, benefiting from diverse climatic conditions. Due to the variation in altitude, a significant portion of Colombia's coffee industry operates under small-scale farming models. However, unlike Central American coffee-producing countries that typically grade by growing altitude, Colombian coffee is classified by bean size using screen mesh measurements. Among these, Supremo grade (17 screen and above) is the largest, followed by EXCELSO EXTRA grade (mainly 16 screen).

Specialty Coffee from Huila Province

Huila Province is located in the southern part of Colombia's central mountain range and is the country's most renowned specialty coffee-producing region. This area consists of hills surrounded by mountains, with cultivation altitudes above 1,500 meters. Colombia's most important rivers converge here, bringing abundant water resources and moisture.

Contrary to the common perception of Colombian coffee as balanced and smooth due to large-scale production, many small-farm micro-batch specialty coffees actually possess distinct regional flavor characteristics. In recent years, with the international market's emphasis on coffee quality and demands for specialty coffee, there has been a gradual shift away from the original bean-size grading system. Instead, the focus has moved to micro-regional selections, where dozens of small farmers contribute their individual harvests to form micro-batches for sale. This approach provides greater opportunities to select many high-quality, specific farmer coffees through batch-by-batch cupping.

Colombian Coffee Certification

In 1927, Colombia established the National Coffee Management Association, responsible for quality supervision. To improve coffee quality and regional certification, the association created the Colombian coffee trademark. This logo consists of Juan Valdez, a mule, and Colombian mountains. Coffee that meets certification standards can be sold with this trademark as an indication of quality and origin.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's Suggested Brewing Parameters:

• Pour-over: V60 dripper with small Fuji R440 grinder setting 3.5, water temperature around 90°C
• French Press: Recommended grinder setting 4, water temperature 90°C
• Siphon: Recommended grinder setting 4, water temperature between 90°C-91°C
• AeroPress: Recommended grinder setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473