Colombia Antioquia Region | La Claudina Estate Fully Washed

Colombia Antioquia Region | La Claudina Estate - Fully Washed Castillo Flavor

Luis Saldarriaga, a renowned coffee farmer from the Antioquia region, owns two estates: El Encanto and La Claudina. Both are located in Antioquia and each spans 60 hectares, but only 42 hectares in total are planted with coffee, while the rest is primary forest and nature reserve. The elevation ranges from 1,400 to 1,800 meters above sea level. The La Claudina estate, located in Ciudad Bolivar, is where this particular coffee is produced.

Luis's son Juan recently took over management of both estates. He not only experiments with different processing methods and varieties on his own farms but also assists young coffee farmers in the surrounding area. This micro-lot consists of 50% Castillo and 50% Colombia varieties. He experiments with planting different varieties at various altitudes, many of which have only been planted recently.

Antioquia coffees are known for their solidity but can sometimes be considered uninteresting. Juan's experiments help us discover more fascinating coffees. The biggest challenge in producing natural-processed beans locally is the humid climate, where temperatures can sometimes climb too high, which is extremely detrimental to drying. Juan quickly built shade-drying facilities and raised African beds. He also purchased machines that use cold air for drying, along with software that controls temperature and airflow, enabling the production of coffees with different flavor profiles.

Coffee Details

Varieties: Castillo, Colombia

Region: Antioquia

Estate: La Claudina

Producer: Juan Saldarriaga

Altitude: 1,400-1,800 meters

Processing Method: Fully Washed

Flavor Profile: Strawberry, tropical fruits, caramel

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Method

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Technique: A 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio using 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water and let it bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour up to 120g, then pause and wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway. Continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Total extraction time should be around 2:00.

Analysis: A three-stage brewing method clearly defines the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, the pause during pouring helps extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

La Claudina's fully washed Castillo and Colombia varieties show the clean, fruit-accented side of Colombian coffee - strawberry, tropical fruit, and caramel - and FrontStreet Coffee's Colombian offerings continue that thread. The FrontStreet Colombia Huila comes from one of the country's most famous specialty regions, where the coffee grows above 1,500 meters and the central mountain range and converging rivers deliver abundant water and humidity. Roasted medium-dark, it emphasizes dark chocolate and nutty sweetness, moderate oil, and a full body, and it works equally well in a pour-over, French press, moka pot, or espresso machine.

For something bolder and more experimental, try FrontStreet Coffee's Finca La Divisoria Papayo, grown at 1,650-1,800 meters and processed as an anaerobic natural - a technique that produces deeper tropical fruit aromas. Roasted medium-light, it brings out jasmine and citrus on the nose and a rich, juice-like rush of passion fruit, blueberry, grape, and apricot on the palate.