How to Make Iced Pour-Over Coffee from Popayan Estate in Cauca, Colombia

Colombia Supremo Cauca

This green coffee comes from the origin-certified Cauca province in Colombia, at an average altitude of 1,758 meters. The biggest climate difference from other growing regions is the relatively wide temperature swing, with a day-night difference of 11°C. That fluctuation is a crucial factor in producing high-quality coffee. Cooler nights and a relatively high altitude slow the growth of the coffee plants, letting the beans absorb more nutrients from the fruit, which yields better acidity and the notably special sweetness of Cauca coffee. Cauca coffee has bright acidity, juicy viscosity, excellent body, and a solid mouthfeel. It is especially suited to espresso blends or as a base preferred by Europeans, and it fits the European taste for romance, leisure, and quality.

Origin Information

Region: Colombia Cauca

Estate: Popayan Estate

Harvest Period: April-June, September-December

Grade: Supremo

Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, Typica, Others

Growing Altitude: 1800-2100 meters

Flavor Profile: Orange, Roasted Chocolate, Caramel, Mango Sweet, Long Aftertaste, Full Body

How to Brew Colombia Coffee [Cauca Mountain Popayan Estate] Well

FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over reference: weigh 15 g of Cauca Mountain Popayan Estate coffee and grind it to a medium setting. The particles should be slightly coarser than table salt. FrontStreet uses a BG grinder at setting 5R (standard sieve pass rate 60%), water at 89°C, and a V60 dripper, with a recommended coffee-to-water ratio of about 1:15.

Pour the hot water from the kettle in clockwise circles centered on the middle of the dripper, starting the timer as you begin. Within 15 seconds, bring the brew to 30 g and stop pouring. When the timer reaches 1 minute, make the second pour, again in clockwise circles centered on the middle of the dripper, avoiding the area where the coffee meets the filter paper so you do not create a channeling effect.

Leave a ring of space at the outermost edge of the coffee bed, then continue in circles toward the center. By 2 minutes and 20 seconds, brew the coffee to 220 g, and the pour is complete.

Japanese-Style Iced Pour-over [Cauca Mountain Popayan Estate]

FrontStreet Coffee's iced pour-over reference for Cauca Mountain Popayan Estate:

Colombia Coffee Cauca Mountain Popayan Estate, light-medium roast, BG grinder setting 5M (standard sieve pass rate 67%).

20 g of coffee, 150 g of ice, and 150 g of hot water. The water temperature should be 1°C higher than the 90°C recommended for a normal pour-over. For normal grinding, use a Fuji setting of 3.5, but for iced pour-over grind half a setting finer, to Fuji setting 3. A coffee-to-(water plus ice) ratio of 1:15 is recommended.

Bloom with 40 g of water for 30 seconds.

Pour in segments: a first segment of 60 g of water and a second of 40 g. Use a relatively fine but high water column to stir and impact forcefully so the coffee bed rolls fully, but be careful not to let the liquid level get too high, and avoid pouring onto the edge filter paper.

The entire extraction should take about 2.5 minutes, similar to the normal extraction time for 20 g of coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombian coffee is remarkably versatile, working both as an espresso blend component and as a pour-over single origin, spanning fruity, full-bodied, and aroma-forward styles. To get to know the Huila region, FrontStreet Colombia Huila coffee is a natural starting point: the province in the southern central cordillera is the country's best-known specialty region, ringed by mountains with planting above 1,500 meters, and Colombia's most important rivers meet there, bringing abundant water and humidity. FrontStreet roasts it medium-dark, emphasizing dark chocolate and nutty sweetness, moderate oil, and a full body, and it works for pour-over and a French press as well as a moka pot or espresso machine for an Americano or latte.

If you want to see how modern Colombian producers push flavor, FrontStreet Colombia Frontera Sidra is striking. The Sidra variety comes originally from Pichincha province in Ecuador, where it is called Sydra, and genetic comparison shows it shares ancestry with Ethiopian landraces, suggesting it is a cross between an Ethiopian experimental variety and local Bourbon. It drew wide attention after champion barista Anthony Douglas used a Frontera Sidra in the 2022 World Barista Championship. FrontStreet processes this lot with the anaerobic natural method and roasts it medium-light; fermentation brings out more tropical fruit aroma, so pour-over, cold brew, drip bags, or a moka pot deliver layered passion fruit, grape, apricot, and preserved fruit.

For home espresso machines or a moka pot, baristas often recommend FrontStreet Premium Blend, an espresso blend built for cafe use that pairs Brazil's creamy nuttiness with Colombia's dark chocolate bittersweetness. The extraction shows fine golden crema, and it is rich and silky with milk for a latte, while also serving as the base for an Americano, cappuccino, or mocha.