Bolivia | Flavor Profile of Caranavi Region Aiso Coffee Association European Standard Traditional Washed Strictly Hard Bean SHB

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Bolivia | What are the flavor characteristics of the European standard traditionally washed SHB beans from Asocafe Coffee Association (Amor de Dios Processing Plant)?

The Federation of Coffee Exporting Producers of Bolivia (FECAFEB), established in May 1991, has achieved significant success in recent years in improving Bolivian coffee quality and international visibility. Currently, it has 30 branch associations or cooperatives, connecting nearly 8,700 small-scale farmers, making it Bolivia's most important specialty coffee production system. The federation's main work includes defending and protecting farmers' rights, providing advice on quality maintenance and organic cultivation techniques, assisting farmers in marketing their coffee to international markets, establishing processing plants, and formulating production plans. Additionally, they provide farmers with credit financial services.

The Asocafe Coffee Association (Asociacion de Productores de Café Taipiplaya) is a member of the FECAFEB federation. Its office and processing plant are located in the small town of Taipiplaya, approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Caranavi City. It has 300 households scattered across 32 small villages. The coffee gardens are widely distributed across 500 hectares of valley slopes with altitudes reaching up to 1,800 meters. Although the terrain is rugged, it also offers rare and excellent cultivation conditions. This batch from Asocafe Association is a micro-lot produced by 35 farmers from the Amor de Dios community, with an average farm altitude of 1,650 meters, mainly featuring Typica, Caturra, and Catuai varieties.

In earlier years, transportation between various associations and cooperatives was extremely inconvenient. Every batch of coffee beans had to be transported down the mountain via the world-famous "Death Road" - a 61-kilometer-long dirt road built on towering cliffs, only three meters wide without guardrails. At that time, sales channels were limited and prices were low, making it considered cheap coffee and resulting in extremely difficult circumstances. The past decade has seen significant progress - with the completion of a new asphalt national highway in 2006, and with organizations like USAID and COE, as well as continuous international coffee travelers visiting association processing plants and coffee gardens, establishing relationships and collaborating with local farmers. Combined with the multifaceted efforts of the local FECAFEB federation, Bolivia has finally shown the international community its coffee potential. Not only has it become a member of the international specialty coffee community, but its value has naturally become incomparable to the past.

On the eastern foothills of the towering and continuous Andes Mountains, beneath the lush jungle, over 300 coffee farmers produce what can be called one of Bolivia's sweetest coffees. These farmers are all members of the Asocafe Coffee Cooperative (ASOCAFE), established in 1990 with the aim of improving local coffee quality, and of course, the ultimate goal is to increase farmers' income. Caranavi Province is the heart of Bolivia's coffee-producing region, with rivers formed by melting water from mountain glaciers, making it an ideal origin for specialty coffee. ASOCAFE farmers harvest and carefully hand-select, then transport coffee cherries to the central processing station, where under the association's supervision, mature coffee cherries undergo pulping, mucilage removal, fermentation, washing, and sun-drying.

Coffee Information

Country: Bolivia

Region: Taipiplaya, Caranavi

Grade: European Standard Washed SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)

Producer: Amor de Dios Processing Plant

Processing Method: Traditional Washed

Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai

Altitude: 1,650 meters

Harvest Period: June to October annually

Flavor Profile: Cocoa notes, nuts, sweet spices, grassy aroma, balanced sweet and sour sensation, smooth mouthfeel

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour up to 120g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and faster drainage, pausing during pouring can help extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

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