Introduction to Colombia Cauca Uribe Barrila - Colombian Coffee Introduction

Cauca: Colombia's Premium Coffee Region

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Cauca is one of Colombia's renowned specialty coffee producing regions, bordered by the Nariño region to the west and the Huila department to the east. Coffee cultivation is distributed across 29 administrative districts at elevations ranging from 1,758 to 2,100 meters. Like other specialty coffee regions in southern Colombia, this area exhibits remarkable homogeneity in terms of climate, rainy seasons, and volcanic soil factors. A consistent rainfall cycle (a dry season from August to September followed by abundant rainfall) provides favorable conditions for coffee tree fruiting. High-intensity sunlight and low rainfall during the flowering season (July-August), which also coincides with the departure from the equatorial calm zone, create ideal flowering conditions for coffee trees. These factors also contribute to concentrated harvesting during the first season of alternate years. Compared to other coffee growing areas in Colombia, the daytime temperature here shows more variability: daily average temperatures can drop as low as 11°C, with daytime averages of 18°C (nighttime averages of 4°C). This dramatic day-night temperature differential is a key factor in Cauca coffee's development, as the lower nighttime temperatures caused by high altitude slow coffee bean maturation, enhancing acidity and imparting distinctive sweetness.

Sotara: Volcanic Terroir

Sotara is a small town in central Cauca, and Sotara Volcano belongs to the Andes mountain range, providing the nutrient-rich soil necessary for coffee bean growth. Coffee cultivation in this region covers approximately 911 hectares, consisting of mountainous areas and three well-known rivers: the Caueta River, Cauca River, and Magdalena River.

El Tambo: Small-Scale Excellence

In the Uribe village of El Tambo municipality, Cauca department, small-scale producer Jose Cornelio Barreta Montenegro and his wife Gerardina Serna jointly operate a 1-hectare farm. Benefiting from Cauca's volcanic environment, this region possesses ideal external growing conditions including volcanic soil, high elevation above 1,800 meters, and annual rainfall of 2,300-2,600mm. Despite the small size of their land, Barrera maintains great enthusiasm, focusing on coffee cultivation while continuously learning new techniques to improve quality. For example, he collaborates with other local producers to establish standardized harvesting procedures, and after processing and drying, the Barrera couple personally hand-sorts to remove defective beans.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests the following brewing parameters:

Pour-over: V60 dripper with Komachi 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 :

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Tel:020 38364473