Flavor Profile of Bolivia - ASOCAFE Coop Dios Amor Processing Station Washed Coffee Beans

Bolivian Coffee - ASOCAFE Coop Amor de Dios Processing Plant Washed Bean Flavor and Taste Characteristics?

ASOCAFE (Asociacion de Productores de Cafe Taipiplaya) is a member of the FECAFEB alliance. Its office and processing plant sit in the small town of Taipiplaya, about 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Caranavi. It has 300 farming households scattered across 32 small villages. The coffee plantations are spread widely over 500 hectares of valley slopes, with altitudes reaching up to 1800 meters. Although the terrain is rugged, it also offers rare and excellent growing conditions. This ASOCAFE lot is a micro-batch produced by 35 farmers from the Amor de Dios community. The farms average 1650 meters in altitude and grow varieties such as Typica, Caturra, and Catuai.

In earlier years, transport between the various farming associations and cooperatives was extremely inconvenient. Every lot of coffee beans had to be brought down the mountain along the world-famous "Death Road" - a 61-kilometer dirt road built on towering cliffs, only three meters wide and with no guardrails. At that time sales channels were limited and prices were low, so it was regarded as cheap coffee produced under very difficult circumstances. The past decade has brought significant progress: in 2006 a new asphalt national highway was completed, and organizations such as USAID and COE, along with a steady stream of international coffee travelers, visited the associations' processing plants and coffee farms. They built relationships and collaborated with local farmers. Combined with the multifaceted efforts of the local FECAFEB alliance, Bolivia finally showed its coffee potential to the world, not only joining the ranks of international specialty coffee but also naturally earning a standing that cannot be compared with the past.

Coffee Details

Country: Bolivia

Region: Taipiplaya, Caranavi

Grade: European Standard Washed Strictly Hard Bean (SHB)

Producer: Amor de Dios Processing Plant

Processing Method: Traditional Washed

Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai

Altitude: 1650 meters

Harvest Period: June to October each year

The Federation of Coffee Exporting Producers of Bolivia (FECAFEB), which has repeatedly improved Bolivian coffee quality and international visibility in recent years, was founded in May 1991. It currently has 30 branch farming associations or cooperatives connecting nearly 8,700 smallholder families, making it the most important specialty coffee production system in Bolivia. The federation's main work is to defend and protect farmers' rights, advise on quality maintenance and organic growing techniques, help farmers market their coffee internationally, establish processing plants, and set production plans. It also provides farmers with credit and financial services.

Flavor Description

Cocoa, nuts, sweet spices, and a grassy aroma, with a balanced sweet-and-sour sensation and a smooth mouthfeel.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90 degrees

Grind Size: Fuji Grind Level 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15 g of coffee grounds. First pour 25 g of water and let it steep for 25 seconds. Second pour up to 120 g of water, then stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing. Slowly pour until the total reaches 225 g. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: A three-stage pour clearly separates the front, middle, and back of the flavor profile. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing the water flow extends the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Bolivia is a small but ambitious washed-coffee origin, and if you enjoy this clean, balanced style, FrontStreet Coffee's washed lineup is a natural next step. The FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gedingding Cooperative is a benchmark washed Ethiopian coffee, with jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity that open into green tea and honey notes after a medium-light roast. For a juicier, more savory cup, the FrontStreet Kenya Cherry Tomato is double washed for a vivid cherry-tomato and smoked-plum profile, layered with pear, black plum, and brown sugar. If you prefer the rounded, low-key balance of washed beans, the FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 delivers hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel in a clean, even cup.