Cauca, Colombia | Hacienda Santuario Excelso Grade Love Potion | Washed Red Bourbon

Colombia Cauca Province | Finca Santuario Excelso Grade Love Potion | What is the Flavor of Washed Red Bourbon?

For many years in Colombia's specialty coffee farms, Finca Santuario has been a leader in the industry's technology and cultivation methods. The key figure behind this success is the farm owner Camilo Merizalde. Born in Valle de Cauca, Colombia, Camilo often visited nearby coffee farms as a child and watched adults process coffee. It wasn't until after high school graduation that he decided to study in the United States. After graduation, he worked as a manager for a Colombian food and beverage company in the US and frequently had opportunities to return to his hometown of Colombia to purchase green coffee beans. During this time, Camilo began to ponder why Colombian coffee often couldn't compare in quality to African and Central American varieties, and why Colombia wasn't considered among the top specialty coffee producing countries. During this period, Camilo began researching and reading books about coffee cultivation in the United States, hoping to grow specialty coffee that would amaze the world. Simultaneously, Camilo continuously searched for farms in Colombia with excellent microclimate environments. Finally, in 2000, he found what he considered the most excellent agricultural land in Cauca Province, Colombia. At this point, Camilo immediately began various large and small transformations on the farm, preparing to realize his ideal coffee farm concept in what he named Finca Santuario.

The first step for Camilo was to improve the soil quality in the farm. By planting a large number of leguminous plants, he provided the earth with rich and natural nitrogen. He also preserved many native plants and fruit trees to provide diverse nutrient sources for the soil. Next, Camilo began analyzing the terrain within the farm and dividing it into 266 different micro-plots to make it easier for the farm owner to track and manage the growth of coffee and changes in microclimate. The second step was to select coffee varieties for cultivation. From the beginning, Camilo was determined to choose low-yield, high-quality heirloom varieties. Finally, in November 2002, he planted the first Typica coffee tree. To this day, Finca Santuario has expanded to include many varieties with excellent cupping scores, such as Typica, Geisha, Bourbon, and Laurina. Due to the farm's altitude of 1,950-2,050 meters, large temperature differences between day and night, and widespread volcanic ash soil, it is particularly suitable for cultivating these precious varieties. The third step was to build their own wet mill and sun-drying rooms. The drying rooms in particular feature many advanced facilities within Colombia. Camilo first installed large ventilation fans on both sides of the drying rooms, using the principle of fans to accelerate air circulation. This not only prevents over-fermentation of green beans but also allows stable control of the drying room temperature. Camilo, with his strong experimental spirit, further improved the wet processing equipment in the wet mill through collaboration with 2015 WBC champion Sasa Sestic, using stainless steel barrels and rounded corner designs to significantly enhance quality stability and sweetness perception.

Through years of effort, Camilo's first batch of Finca Santuario green beans was officially exported in 2005. To this day, it has become the preferred partner for many competition competitors. Besides WBC champion Sasa Sestic, 2013 Australian Barista Champion Matt Perger also spoke highly of Finca Santuario's green beans. By combining with the EK43 grinder, he achieved second place in the WBC World Competition that year. Camilo continuously tried and experimented with many new methods to improve coffee quality through his cooperation experience with these competitors. From annual cuppings, he always discovered more flavor expressions and unique varieties from the farm.

Coffee Information

Country: Colombia

Region: Cauca Province

Altitude: 1,950-2,050 meters

Processing Method: Washed

Grade: Excelso

Variety: Red Bourbon

Flavor Description: Fruit juice, orange, floral notes, plum, honey, full-bodied

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Rukus grinder setting 3.5

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

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

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473