Introduction to Flavor Profile of Colombian Santa Caldas Region Hacienda San Jose Coffee Beans with Oak Barrel Fermentation

Currently, two coffee beans from Honduras Mocha Estate with barrel fermentation processing are very popular among coffee enthusiasts in the specialty coffee market. However, barrel fermentation processing was not first developed by Mocha Estate, but by the female owner of Colombia's San Jose Estate. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce the coffee beans from San Jose Estate's barrel fermentation processing.

FrontStreet Coffee: Colombia San Jose Estate Coffee Beans

Region: Colombia Caldas Region

Estate: San Jose Estate

Altitude: 1750 meters

Grade: Supremo

Variety: Castillo

Processing: Fine Washed Rum Barrel Fermentation Processing

San Jose Estate

The century-old San Jose Estate (Finca San Jose Estate) is located in Colombia's Caldas region, which enjoys abundant sunshine with an average annual temperature between 21°C-25°C. The estate covers a total of 18 hectares, of which 16.5 hectares are used for coffee cultivation.

Furthermore, in the wave of specialty coffee in recent years, San Jose Estate has been actively seeking breakthroughs to forge its own unique path. This laid the groundwork for the subsequent birth of barrel fermentation processing.

The Birth of Barrel Fermentation Processing

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, San Jose Estate's barrel fermentation processing was developed by the third-generation female owner of the estate. The story began with a chance encounter: one day, while accompanying her husband (who makes rum oak barrels and brews rum) in filling rum distillate for fermentation, the estate's owner Monsalve Botero suddenly wondered if placing raw coffee beans in oak barrels for fermentation could produce different flavors.

Under this concept, owner Monsalve Botero began in 2013 to place raw beans in rum barrels of different ages for winemaking-style low-temperature fermentation, comparing the fermentation flavors of different brewing times. Through such experiments, she selected the most suitable barrels and fermentation duration. Finally, she successfully found the optimal combination, achieving special and satisfactory flavors, thus creating rum barrel fermented coffee that differs from traditional washed processing. So what is the process of this processing method? FrontStreet Coffee will share it with coffee enthusiast friends below.

Fine Washed Processing + Rum Barrel Fermentation

The owner of San Jose Estate selects Castillo variety coffee beans, handpicks fully ripe coffee cherries, and after full washing, allows them to ferment for 20 hours, then places them in rum oak barrels aged over 8 years. The beans are left to rest in the barrels for three months, rolled once daily to evenly absorb the wine aroma.

During the barrel fermentation period, samples are taken from the coffee beans in the barrels every 30 days to ensure the degree of fermentation and complete absorption of the wine aroma, reducing cases of insufficient or excessive absorption, allowing the coffee beans to have more distinct and complete characteristics when finished. After fermentation is complete, the rum-flavored coffee beans are taken to greenhouse drying, where the average greenhouse temperature avoids the high temperatures of African rack sun-drying that could cause secondary fermentation of the coffee beans.

Because this Colombia San Jose coffee bean and the two Honduras coffee beans in FrontStreet Coffee's shop have the same processing method, FrontStreet Coffee conducted cupping comparisons of these two coffee beans. The conclusion was that the flavor sequence of the two Honduras barrel fermented coffee beans is first wine aroma, then gentle fruit acidity, and finally creamy texture with nut and cocoa flavors.

However, this San Jose rum barrel fermented coffee bean first presents nut and cocoa flavors with a creamy texture, followed immediately by the emergence of rum aroma, with tropical fruit acidity and maple sweetness subsequently appearing.

Colombia San Jose Estate Coffee Bean Varieties

Unlike the varieties of Honduras Sherry and Lychee Orchid coffee beans, San Jose Estate uses the Castillo variety coffee bean, which is widely grown in Colombia. This coffee variety was developed in 2005 by Colombia's Coffee Research Institution to enhance plant disease resistance. It is currently the main cultivated variety in Colombia. These raw beans appear blue-green and have a rich fermented aroma with the fragrance of ripe fruits.

The Development History of Castillo Coffee Variety

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, the origin of this coffee variety began in 1961 when CENICAFE began researching the Timor variety of Robusta lineage. Subsequently, CENICAFE continued its research and development, releasing the second disease-resistant variety Tabi in 2002 (a hybrid of Typica, Bourbon, and Timor).

In 2005, they released a new coffee seed named Castillo, named after scientist Jaime Castillo Zapata who led the research. Finally, after the massive outbreak of coffee leaf rust disease in 2008, Colombia began vigorously promoting the cultivation of Castillo variety coffee beans.

Colombia Coffee Bean Grades

Of course, according to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, Colombia also has its own unique coffee bean grading system, and FrontStreet Coffee's San Jose Estate coffee beans are made from the highest grade local coffee beans. The following are Colombia's coffee bean grading standards:

The above is the information about San Jose Estate coffee beans compiled by FrontStreet Coffee. We hope this article helps coffee enthusiast friends better understand related coffee bean knowledge. Secondly, before launching any new coffee bean, FrontStreet Coffee conducts extensive brewing tests. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will share what flavors San Jose Estate coffee beans present when brewed at different temperatures.

FrontStreet Coffee San Jose Estate Coffee Bean Pour-Over Parameters Sharing

FrontStreet Coffee chose three water temperatures for brewing: 92°C, 90°C, and 88°C. This experiment only changed the water temperature, while keeping other parameters and techniques as consistent as possible.

Parameters: Hario V60 dripper, 15g coffee, medium-fine grind (BG 6M: 58% pass rate through China standard #20 sieve), 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, segmented extraction.

Water Temperature: 92°C

Use 25g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour in a small circular flow in the center to 126g before segmenting. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring with a slightly larger flow to 226g. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 1 minute 40 seconds.

Flavor: Rich fermented aroma in the nose, with flavors of chocolate, caramel, and gentle fruit acidity in the mouth, with a slight smoky note.

Water Temperature: 90°C

Use 27g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour in a small circular flow in the center to 125g before segmenting. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring with a slightly larger flow to 226g. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 1 minute 43 seconds.

Flavor: Rich fermented wine aroma in the nose, with flavors of rum, nuts, tropical fruits, dark berries, cream, and oolong tea sensation in the mouth, with noticeable sweetness and overall balance.

Water Temperature: 88°C

Use 28g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour in a small circular flow in the center to 125g before segmenting. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring with a slightly larger flow to 226g. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 1 minute 42 seconds.

Flavor: Light fermented aroma in the nose, with flavors of chocolate, nuts, citrus, jackfruit, and tropical fruits in the mouth. The overall flavor tends more towards fruit notes.

FrontStreet Coffee Pour-Over Summary

Comparing the three different water temperature extractions of San Jose, the coffee brewed with 88°C water temperature tends to have more fruity acidity, while 90°C water temperature can better express the sweetness and balance of this bean. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests choosing 88°C-90°C water temperature for brewing this bean. Why not recommend brewing with higher temperatures? Because this bean is medium roasted and has a deeper fermentation degree, the bean structure is relatively loose, so using too high water temperature during brewing can easily lead to over-extraction.

The above is the pour-over sharing compiled by FrontStreet Coffee, hoping to help coffee enthusiast friends make pour-over coffee at home.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

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