What are the flavor characteristics of Colombian Caturra coffee beans? How are Colombian coffee beans graded?

Colombian Caturra Coffee Bean Flavor Profile

How does Colombian Caturra taste? How are Colombian coffee beans graded? What coffee regions does Colombia have?

Colombia's geography is excellent: low latitude, high altitude, and coffee trees mostly planted in the Andes at elevations between 1,200 and 1,900 meters. Because the growing areas stretch from south to north with staggered seasons, coffee can be produced year-round, making Colombia the world's third-largest supplier. Colombian coffee is Arabica, characterized by a balanced, persistent, bright, and mellow flavor. It is easy to brew well, which makes it ideal for small households and even for office workers used to quick American-style machines or moka pots.

Colombian Coffee Regions

Colombia currently has two broad types of coffee regions: commercial and specialty. Commercial coffees come from the north-central areas of Medellín, Armenia, and Manizales, collectively known as MAM. The southern high-altitude regions are where specialty coffees originate, including Huila, San Augustin, Cauca Department, Tolima Department, and Nariño Department. Most Colombian specialty coffee comes from the south, with Huila the most renowned area. It boasts fertile valleys and snow-capped Andean peaks, and millions of years of volcanic ash have enriched the soil, nurturing some of Colombia's finest beans; the region is also a frequent winner in international cupping competitions. Many smallholders here specialize in micro-batch specialty coffee, each lot with its own character. This batch is also certified and produced under the oversight of the Colombian National Coffee Growers Federation (F.N.C.), established in 1927, which serves as certification of Colombian coffee quality and origin. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Colombian coffee farmers and the only professional guild officially representing Colombian coffee.

Colombian Coffee Bean Classification

Colombian bean classification is based on the size of the green beans (1 sieve equals 1/64 inch). So how do you determine green bean size? By sieving, of course. There are three grades: Supremo (the highest grade, 17/18 sieve, where 17 sieve is 6.75 mm and 18 sieve is 7 mm), Excelso Extra (16/15 sieve), and U.G.Q. (Usual Good Quality, 14/12 sieve, belonging to commercial beans). So when choosing Colombian beans, besides judging size by eye, you must repeatedly confirm the bean's region to be sure it is genuinely specialty coffee.

Flavor Characteristics of Colombian Coffee

In the Colombian grading system, Supremo is the highest grade, while Excelso (premium grade) has smaller, more common beans. Colombian beans offer a balanced performance, a rich taste, distinctive flavor, and a relatively full body. When medium-roasted, the flavor carries the sweet aroma of vanilla and dark chocolate.

Colombian Coffee Trademark and FNC

The Colombian coffee trademark belongs to the Colombian National Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), which serves as certification of Colombian coffee quality and origin. FNC was established in 1927 as a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Colombian coffee farmers and the only professional guild officially representing Colombian coffee. Its main responsibilities include promoting the brand image of Colombian coffee worldwide and monitoring the quality of every bean exported from Colombia. Because pests and diseases were rampant, Colombian experts had to cultivate more robust new varieties. In 2005 they finally released Castillo, which resists leaf rust and coffee berry disease while being more productive, in commemoration of the Colombian breeding expert Dr. James Castillo. Castillo is based on Colombia, then backcrossed and selected with Caturra until the tenth generation, F10, was successfully developed. It resists not only leaf rust but also coffee berry disease, with more elegant flavors.

Flavor Notes

Flavor: red fruits, citrus acidity, vanilla, nuts, dark chocolate, with a delicate caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.

Example:

• Region: Huila
• Grade: Supremo
• Altitude: 1300-1800 meters
• Processing Method: Washed
• Variety: Caturra

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Method:

• Dripper: Hario V60
• Water Temperature: 88°C
• Grind Size: Fuji Rok grinder setting 4

Brewing technique: water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, with 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water and let it bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g, then stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly to reach 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis:

A three-stage brew clearly distinguishes the flavors in the early, middle, and late stages. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the pour extends the extraction time, better drawing out the nutty and chocolate notes in the finish.

Flavor:

Multi-layered and varied, with an overall clean profile, a lighter body, and a persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To explore Colombian Caturra and Huila terroir in the cup, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Huila is a solid starting point. It is medium-dark roasted to emphasize dark chocolate and nutty sweetness, with moderate body and a mellow texture. It works not only for pour-over and French press but also for moka pot and espresso machine, so it handles Americano and latte with ease.

For something more experimental, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Frontera Estate Xi Claw is processed with an anaerobic natural method. Colombian coffee was traditionally washed, but anaerobic fermentation, also called carbonic maceration, ferments the cherries in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, slowing sugar breakdown and pH decline so the beans gain more sweetness, greater complexity, and a creamy texture. The result is a rich tropical-fruit aroma with passion fruit, grape, apricot, and candied-fruit complexity, best shown with a medium-light roast in pour-over, cold brew, drip bags, or moka pot.