Introduction to Colombian Washed Coffee Cup of Excellence Cauca - Is Colombian Coffee Acidic

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

Colombian Coffee Geography

Three Cordillera ranges run north to south across Colombia and extend into the Andes. Local farmers plant coffee along the highlands of these ranges, benefiting from a wide range of climatic conditions. Because terrain and altitude vary so much, Colombia's coffee industry largely operates on a small-scale farming model.

Colombian Coffee Grading System

Unlike the Central American origins that grade mostly by growing altitude, Colombia grades coffee by bean size, that is, by screen mesh. The Supremo grade, made up of beans of 17 mesh or larger, is the highest classification. The grade below it is EXCELSO EXTRA, which consists mainly of 16 mesh beans.

Cauca Region Coffee Profile

Cauca Province is one of Colombia's renowned specialty coffee regions, sitting between 1,758 and 2,100 metres above sea level. A consistent rainfall cycle gives coffee trees favourable conditions for fruiting. Strong sunlight and low rainfall during the flowering season, together with a position outside the equatorial calm zone, create ideal flowering conditions. The lower average night temperatures that come with altitude slow bean maturation, heightening acidity and lending a distinctive sweetness. The cup leads with sweet, juicy black plum and dark berry aromatics; the mid-palate recalls purple grape juice and mulberry juice, a sweet-tart sensation dancing on the tongue; the finish brings candied fruit sweetness. The flavour is delicate and deserves to be savoured slowly.

FrontStreet Coffee's Roasting Approach

To preserve the rich, complex layers and bright acidity of Cauca coffee, FrontStreet Coffee chose a medium roast.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-Over Recommendations

Here are FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over parameters.

V60/90°C/1:15 ratio/Two minutes duration

Flavor Profile

Distinctive lime acidity, grape juice tartness, generous floral notes, and a nutty finish. The cup is balanced and lively, with complex, layered dimensions.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Cauca's specialty reputation is built on small farms and careful selection, and FrontStreet Coffee's Colombian range shows the country's two very different faces. The Colombia Huila coffee is the classic expression. Huila is Colombia's best-known specialty region, a bowl of hills ringed by mountains where the country's most important rivers converge and planting sits above 1500 metres. Roasted medium-dark, it foregrounds dark chocolate and sweet nuttiness, with moderate oil and a full body. It is flexible too, handling pour-over and French press, and equally at home pulled through a moka pot or an espresso machine as an americano or a latte.

The Colombia Sidra comes from the Frontera Estate and shows what the country's newer processing can do. It is anaerobic natural, and the low-oxygen fermentation turns the fruit more tropical; medium-light roasted, it pours with passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried fruit in a rich, layered cup that also works as cold brew, drip bag, or moka pot. For an espresso blend built around Colombia, the Premium Espresso Blend combines Brazil's creamy nuttiness with Colombia's dark chocolate bittersweetness, extracting with a fine golden crema that pairs beautifully with milk in a latte and serves as the base for an americano, cappuccino, or mocha. Together these three coffees capture why Colombia is such a versatile origin.