Colombia Huila Region Introduction Colombia Huila Coffee Grades Colombia Huila Coffee

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Colombian Coffee: The Renowned Huila Region

Hardly any country produces coffee more famous than Colombia. And within Colombia, no region produces more coffee than Huila, in the southwestern mountains.

Colombia Huila: National Treasure Coffee

Colombia Huila represents the pinnacle of Colombian premium coffee. It is widely regarded as the most balanced coffee, one of the high-altitude beans selected by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, and is known as Colombia's national treasure. Thanks to superior geography and climate, Colombian coffee has consistently held a high standard. Typically, Colombian beans without a special market trademark come from the National Federation of Coffee Growers, a very large organization that spans the country and has long been known for strict quality control and active promotion.

Colombian Coffee Grading and Flavor Profile

In Colombia's grading system, Supremo is the highest grade, representing the largest and plumpest premium beans in the country, with minimal defective beans and impurities. Excelso is a lower grade with smaller, more common beans. Colombian coffee shows a balanced flavor, rich acidity and distinctive character, with a relatively full body that sometimes carries a hint of red-wine refinement and appealing fruity notes. A small portion of Colombian coffee comes from old varieties such as Typica or Bourbon, generally branded by the estate or processing factory name.

The Huila Growing Region

Located in southwestern Colombia, the Huila growing region sits on the valley slopes formed where the western coastal range meets the eastern range. It is one of Colombia's most renowned specialty coffee regions and the southernmost area of specialty coffee cultivation. Standing at a higher latitude than other regions, Huila enjoys year-round rainfall with a suitable climate and temperature. These conditions not only yield high-quality beans but even allow cultivation above 2,000 meters. Huila is dominated by smallholder farmers, and all of its coffee is washed.

Unique Grading System

Unlike Central American coffee countries that grade mainly by growing altitude, Colombia classifies its coffee by bean sieve size. The Supremo grade, at 17 sieve or above, is the largest, while the next grade is Excelso Extra, mainly 16 sieve.

Production Statistics

According to the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), Huila produced 2.6 million 60-kilogram bags in 2016, accounting for 18% of the country's coffee. That same year, the Neiva Chamber of Commerce reported that the department had 154,800 hectares of land dedicated to coffee.

Quality and Recognition

But Huila's value lies not only in the quantity of its coffee; it lies in its quality. The region regularly produces Cup of Excellence winners. More importantly, in 2013 it received Designation of Origin status, the same standing as Champagne, Roquefort cheese and many other foods and drinks with a unique terroir.

Reputation Among Coffee Professionals

Then there is its reputation. Many roasters, baristas and café owners will tell you that Huila is one of their favorite origins, thanks to its bright acidity, sweetness and aromatic character.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests these Colombian Huila brewing parameters:

V60 / 1:15 / 90°C / two-minute brew time

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombian coffee is used across a wide range of styles: it works in an espresso blend or as a pour-over single origin, and the country offers fruit-acid profiles, full-bodied profiles and aroma-forward profiles alike, so there is something to suit almost every taste.

Huila, in the southern part of Colombia's central range, is the country's most famous specialty region. It is a land of hills ringed by mountains, planted above 1,500 meters, where Colombia's most important rivers meet and bring abundant water and humidity. To explore the origin, buy FrontStreet Coffee's washed Huila beans. Roasted medium-dark, they highlight the sweet aroma of dark chocolate and nuts, a moderate level of oil and a full body. They work for pour-over and French press, and also for moka pot and espresso-machine extractions; making an Americano or a latte is no trouble at all.

Colombia has long been known for washed processing, but in recent years innovative methods have become popular. Anaerobic fermentation, a genuinely new kind of flavor experience, goes by several names and is sometimes called carbonic maceration, but it is simply fermentation in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, usually in a pressure-resistant stainless-steel tank where temperature, time and pH can be controlled. The best known forms are anaerobic natural and anaerobic washed. FrontStreet Coffee's Sidra is processed anaerobically and naturally, and the oxygen-free fermentation converts the coffee into far more tropical-fruit aroma; at a medium-light roast, pour-over, cold brew, drip bags and moka pot all bring out complex, intense notes of passion fruit, grape, apricot and dried fruit. For anyone with a home espresso machine or a moka pot, FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend is a strong recommendation: this espresso blend, built for coffee shops, combines the creamy, nutty aroma of Brazilian coffee with the dark, bittersweet chocolate of Colombian coffee. Extraction shows a fine golden crema, and it is wonderfully smooth with milk for a rich latte, friendly to beginners and a fine base for Americano, cappuccino and mocha.