Introduction to Kachalu Coffee Association, Colombia - Colombian Coffee Introduction

In the coffee market, Colombian coffee is widely sold and used, the country being the world's third largest coffee-producing country. The main reason is that Colombian coffee's sweet and flavorful taste makes it very easy to brew successfully. It is a very popular afternoon tea beverage in every household, perfect for pairing with desserts and cakes. With Colombian coffee, you can enjoy the rich and aromatic atmosphere that coffee brings without going to a cafe. Whether it is pure black coffee or various recipe coffees made with Colombian coffee, both are excellent choices.

In recent years, thanks to coffee competitions that increase farmers' income, Colombian coffee has long shed its image of being only suitable as a base coffee. Before coffee competitions, coffee grading was based on bean size, but this grading actually only represents the size of the coffee beans and has nothing to do with quality. "Bigger beans are better" is an outdated grading system. Instead, coffee produced by small farms or cooperative organizations that practice natural growth without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with small cultivation areas, tends to have smaller, rounder, firmer and harder beans, which is now the mainstream of Colombian coffee.

The Colombian Kachalu Coffee Association is located in the primeval forest of the Santander mountain range in the northeast, bordering the Pacific Ocean. It was jointly established in 2002 by 14 coffee families. In addition to producing higher quality coffee, it also shoulders the responsibility of preserving original coffee varieties and maintaining the ecological environment of the primeval forest, ensuring that animal and plant habitats are not destroyed by human interference and allowing animals to live peacefully. The coffee is grown in the primeval forest at altitudes of 4,200-5,500 feet, where the soil is fertile, the climate is humid, temperature variations are significant and there is a good shade environment in the primeval forest - all optimal conditions for coffee growth. Kachalu coffee beans are certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USI) and the Rainforest Alliance (RAS). The harvest period is from October to December each year, using natural water washing to process the beans. Colombian Kachalu coffee beans are manually sorted with a defect rate of about 5%. When roasted to a light roast (city), the weight loss ratio of the coffee beans is 14%, with empty shells and defective beans accounting for 4%. They share the common characteristics of fine Colombian coffee: raw beans are round and hard, showing an emerald green color, and produce crisp, clear sounds when colliding with each other. The rounded, mellow taste with chocolate sweetness has always been the beautiful impression that Colombian coffee brings to the world.

Most Kachalu coffee beans are of the Caturra and Typica varieties, classified as high-altitude mountain beans (S.H.B). The roasting process increases the temperature at the end of roasting, then uses a relatively fast heating method to enter first crack to preserve more aroma and berry acidity. After first crack is completely finished, a slower method is used to progress to second crack, allowing the nutty aromas to be thoroughly released.

FrontStreet Coffee Suggested Brewing Parameters

Pour-over: V60 dripper, Fuji R440 grind setting 3.5, water temperature around 90°C

French Press: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C-91°C

AeroPress: Recommended grind setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To explore the Colombian profile at home, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Huila is the natural starting point. Huila, in the southern central cordillera, is the country's most famous specialty region, with steep hills above 1,500 meters and generous water and humidity. Medium-dark roasted, it highlights dark chocolate and nut aromas with moderate oils and a full body, and it suits pour-over, French press, moka pot and espresso machine alike - Americanos and lattes included.

If you want to go beyond the traditional washed style, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Finca La Divisa Chiroso is a bold choice. Colombia has recently embraced innovative processing, and this lot uses an anaerobic natural method that transforms the coffee into richer tropical fruit aromas. Light-medium roasted, it works for pour-over, cold brew, drip bags and the moka pot, delivering complex notes of passion fruit, grape, apricot and candied fruit. And if you have a home espresso machine or moka pot, FrontStreet Coffee's Fine Blend marries the creamy nuttiness of Brazil with the dark chocolate bittersweetness of Colombia for a latte-friendly shot with fine golden crema.