Colombian Coffee | Cavendish Small Farmer Cultivation in the Andes Mountains | EXCELSO Grade

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Colombian Coffee | Cavendish Small Farmer Cultivation in the Andes Mountains | Flavor of EXCELSO Grade Castillo

Colombian Coffee (Café de Colombia) originates from Colombia and is one of the few single-origin coffees sold worldwide under a country name. In terms of quality, it has received unparalleled acclaim among other coffees. Compared to other producing countries, Colombia pays more attention to product development and production promotion. This, combined with its superior geographical and climatic conditions, makes Colombian coffee high-quality and flavorful, renowned globally. After roasting, the coffee beans release a sweet aroma, with good quality characteristics of sweetness within acidity and balanced bitterness. Due to its appropriate concentration, it is often used in premium blended coffees. Colombian coffee emits a light and elegant fragrance, not as strong as Brazilian coffee or as acidic as African coffee, but rather a sweet, light aroma that is understated and elegant.

Regional Information

Region: Small farmers from the Andes Mountains

Varieties: Castillo/Caturra/Colombia

Altitude: 800-1250 meters

Processing Method: Washed

Grade: EXCELSO (visually nearly 15 mesh or above)

History of Colombian Coffee Cultivation

The history of coffee cultivation in Colombia can be traced back to the Spanish colonial era in the 16th century. There are several accounts about coffee's history in Colombia:

First: It is said to have arrived by sea from the Caribbean island of Haiti, through El Salvador in Central America.

Second: In 1808, a priest introduced coffee beans to Colombia for the first time from the French Antilles via Venezuela. One account suggests that Colombia's first coffee seeds entered through the Santander province from Venezuela.

Third: The earliest record of coffee cultivation in Colombia appears in a book titled "The Illustrated Orinoco" by Spanish missionary Jose Gumilla. He described his experiences from 1730 when he was preaching along both banks of the Meta River, mentioning local coffee plantations. By 1787, other missionaries had spread coffee to other parts of Colombia.

Ideal Growing Conditions

Colombia's suitable climate provides coffee with a true "natural pasture." Colombia's coffee trees are mainly cultivated in the Andes Mountains, on steep slopes around 1,300 meters above sea level. The temperature there remains approximately 18 degrees Celsius year-round, with annual rainfall between 2,000 to 3,000 millimeters. Located at latitude 1°-11° 15' N and longitude 72°-78° W, the specific altitude range can exceed 2,000 meters. The special combination of various factors—Colombia's coffee-growing region latitude, altitude, soil, botanical origin of species, and coffee varieties—the climate in coffee-growing areas and rain patterns produced by the double path of the Intertropical Convergence, topography and light intensity that change throughout the day, favorable temperature ranges year-round, appropriate and well-distributed rainfall, and some common cultural practices including selective harvesting and transformation processes, including washing and drying—all make it extremely suitable for coffee growth, with mild climate, humid air, and harvest possible without seasonal distinction. This is why Colombian coffee is of superior quality. Colombia has three Cordillera mountain ranges running north-south, extending into the Andes Mountains. Coffee is planted along the highlands of these mountain ranges. The mountain terraces provide diverse climates, making it harvest season year-round, with different varieties of coffee maturing at different times. Fortunately, unlike Brazil, Colombia doesn't have to worry about frost damage. Colombia has approximately 2.7 billion documented coffee trees, of which 66% are planted using modern cultivation methods in plantations, while the rest are planted in traditionally managed small farms.

Farming Practices

The pure taste of Colombian coffee comes from Colombia's natural environment, which has the most favorable conditions for coffee growth. But beyond this, it is inseparable from the diligent efforts of local growers. In Colombia, coffee cultivation reaches 1.07 million hectares, with approximately 302,000 coffee farms nationwide. 30% to 40% of the rural population depends directly on coffee production for their livelihood. Although Colombia has many farms, their areas are not large. Each farm's area is only about 2 hectares, with over 80% of coffee plantations having about 5,000 coffee trees, averaging 3,000 trees. This shows that Colombian agriculture is of the small farm type. Locals plant tall trees or banana trees around coffee trees. During the seedling stage, shade is built for coffee trees to ensure the cool, humid environment needed for coffee growth. Due to the high humidity and small temperature difference in coffee forests, coffee beans mature slowly, which is beneficial for the accumulation of caffeine and aromatic substances, resulting in the best coffee quality.

Regional Quality

In terms of both yield and quality, coffee from Medellin is the most recommended in Colombia. Its characteristics are full-bodied, nutrient-rich coffee beans with moderate acidity, good balance, rich aroma, and smooth, mellow mouthfeel. Besides Medellin, the capital cities of two neighboring southern provinces, Armenia and Manizales, are also famous coffee-producing regions. They originally belonged to the Antioquia province where Medellin is located, which had a Caldas football team that participated in the final Toyota Cup. These three places form the world-renowned "Coffee Zone."

Harvesting and Processing

Coffee workers manually harvest coffee bean fruits (also called coffee cherries) by going up the mountains, allowing careful selection of the most mature and full fruits. Most Colombian coffee beans use washed processing. After medium roasting and brewing, they have a light, silky mouthfeel, sometimes with a hint of acidity, not as strong as Brazilian coffee and Italian Espresso, earning them the reputation of "green gold."

Colombian Cavendish

The main variety of Colombian coffee is Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica),即 small fruit coffee. In contrast, large fruit coffee (Coffea robusta) is mostly planted in its native Africa, such as the famous Madagascar coffee. Small fruit coffee has several varieties. The world's number one producer, Brazilian coffee, has larger seeds, stronger adaptability, and higher fruit yield rates. In comparison, the mild coffee produced in Colombia is a higher quality variety, related to its special geographical location and climate environment.

Colombian coffee is divided into more than 200 grades, with strong regional characteristics. Colombian beans have SUPERMO as the highest grade, followed by EXCELSO; however, only specialty-grade coffee with beans 18 (diameter 18/64 inch) or larger can be classified as specialty coffee. Colombian coffee has balanced flavor with a smooth mouthfeel, like a gentleman among coffees—well-behaved and proper. Its producing areas are widespread, but coffee from the central mountainous regions is best, with rich texture. The most famous producing areas are Medellin, Armenia, and Manizales, collectively referred to as "MAM" in custom. The "Nariño coffee" has delicious taste and excellent quality.

Colombian coffee has a silk-like smooth mouthfeel. People equate Colombian coffee with high quality and good taste. It has sweetness within acidity, low bitterness, is nutrient-rich, and has unique acidity and mellow flavor. The acid, bitter, and sweet tastes of Colombian specialty coffee are perfectly balanced. Its unique aroma fills the entire mouth after drinking. Exhaling the aroma from the mouth through the nose creates a very full-bodied experience. Perhaps you might find it too overpowering, because it quickly occupies people's taste buds, thoughts, and even souls. People's lives are originally filled with sour, sweet, bitter, and astringent flavors, and the aroma of this coffee is enough to take away everything in the mortal world. What people enjoy is not just a cup of coffee, but also the moment of tranquility that coffee brings to people. The most distinctive feature of Colombian specialty is its aroma—rich and thick, with bright, high-quality acidity, high balance, leaving an endless aftertaste.

World coffee is divided into two major series: one is the "hard" coffee represented by Brazil, with strong flavor; the other is the "soft" coffee represented by Colombia, with light fragrance. The difference lies in the altitude of origin and planting methods. Brazil plants coffee in hilly red soil with relatively extensive cultivation, while Colombia produces in mountain black soil with intensive cultivation. Colombian specialty has rich and thick aroma, with bright, high-quality acidity, high balance, sometimes with nutty flavor, leaving an endless aftertaste. Whether in appearance or quality, Colombian specialty is quite excellent, like a woman's subtle charm—charming and just right, memorable.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90 degrees

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water to coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee, first pour 25g water for 25s bloom, second pour to 120g water then pause, wait until the water level drops to half before continuing to pour, slowly pour until reaching 225g water, extraction time around 2:00

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