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

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Colombian Caturra Coffee Bean Flavor Profile

How is the flavor of Colombian Caturra coffee beans? How are Colombian coffee bean grades classified? What coffee regions does Colombia have?

Colombia's geographical environment is excellent: low latitude, high altitude, coffee trees are mostly planted in the Andes Mountains, at elevations between 1,200-1,900 meters. Moreover, the cultivation area extends from south to north, with staggered production seasons, allowing year-round coffee production, making it the world's third-largest coffee supplier. Particularly, Colombian coffee is of the Arabica species, characterized by balanced, persistent, bright, and mellow flavors, making it easy-to-brew quality coffee, very suitable for small households, and even office workers accustomed to quick American-style coffee machines or Moka pots.

Colombian Coffee Regions

Currently, Colombia has two main types of coffee regions: commercial coffee regions and specialty coffee regions. Commercial coffees are distributed in the north-central Medellín, Armenia, and Manizales, collectively known as MAM. The southern high-altitude regions are where specialty coffees originate, such as: Huila, San Augustin, Cauca Department, Tolima Department, and Nariño Department (commonly translated as "Naling" in Taiwan). Most Colombian specialty coffees come from the southern regions, with Huila being the most renowned specialty area. This region boasts fertile valleys and snow-capped Andes Mountains, with millions of years of volcanic ash enriching the soil, nurturing some of Colombia's finest coffee beans. It's also a frequent winner in international cupping competitions. Many small farmers in this region specialize in producing micro-batch specialty coffees, each with distinctive characteristics. Additionally, this batch is certified and produced under the oversight of the Colombian National Coffee Growers Federation F.N.C., established in 1927, serving as certification for Colombian coffee quality and its regions. 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 coffee bean classification is based on the "size of green beans (1 sieve equals 1/64 inch)." So how do you determine green bean size? Let's "sieve" together! There are three grades: Supremo (highest grade 17/18 sieve, 17 sieve is 6.75mm, 18 sieve is 7mm), Excelso Extra (16/15 sieve), and U.G.Q. (Usual Good Quality, 14/12 sieve, belonging to commercial beans! See XD). Therefore, when selecting Colombian coffee beans, besides visually judging the coffee bean size, you must repeatedly confirm the coffee bean "region" to ensure it's authentic specialty coffee.

Flavor Characteristics of Colombian Coffee

In the Colombian coffee bean system, Supremo is the highest grade, while Excelso (premium grade) has smaller and more common beans. Colombian coffee beans exhibit balanced flavor performance, rich taste, with unique flavor characteristics, and relatively full body. When medium-roasted, the flavor carries a 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, serving as certification for Colombian coffee quality and its regions. 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. FNC's main responsibilities include promoting the brand image of Colombian coffee globally and monitoring the quality of every coffee bean exported from Colombia. Due to rampant pests and diseases, 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 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 not only resists leaf rust but also has resistance to coffee berry disease, with more elegant flavors.

Flavor Notes

Flavor: Red fruits, citrus acidity, vanilla, nuts, dark chocolate, with 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, 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water, let it bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00 minutes.

Analysis:

Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the flavors in the early, middle, and late stages. Because V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the pour can extend the extraction time, better extracting the nutty and chocolate flavors in the final stage.

Flavor:

Multi-layered variations, overall clean profile, lighter body, with persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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