Wine-Like Coffee: Colombia San Jose Rum Barrel Fermentation Washed Process

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, visit FrontStreet Coffee.

In recent years, many special processing methods have emerged. Today, FrontStreet Coffee would like to share a rum barrel fermented coffee from Colombia.

Colombia San Jose Rum Barrel Fermentation Washed Process

- Flavor -

Rum, Melon, Dark Chocolate

Origin: Colombia

Region: Caldas

Estate: Finca San Jose

Varieties: Castillo, Naranjal

Altitude: 1750m

Processing Method: Rum barrel fermentation, washed process

This Colombian green coffee is selected from triple-premium Supremo grade Castillo Naranjal trees. After depulping, it is placed in oak barrels for low-temperature fermentation. Once fermentation is complete, it undergoes washed processing and is finally dried on sun-drying racks.

This processing method came from the creative idea of the lady of Finca San Jose, Monsalve Botero. One day, while accompanying her husband, who makes rum oak barrels and brews rum, as he filled rum distillate for fermentation, she suddenly wondered: if green coffee beans were placed in oak barrels to ferment, would they produce a different flavor?

For this reason, Monsalve Botero began experimenting in 2013 with different aged Colombian oak barrels and varying fermentation times in a winemaking-style low-temperature fermentation. This particular coffee is one that performed excellently among those experiments.

Flavor: Whiskey, rum, melon, cherry, black plum, drupe fruit, wine-infused chocolate.

Brewing Recommendations

When brewing this type of coffee with rich wine aromas, FrontStreet Coffee would like to share some brewing tips:

1. Choose a fast-flowing dripper like the Hario V60, which can make the brewed coffee aroma more intense;
2. To preserve the aroma of these beans, FrontStreet Coffee generally does not roast them too dark, basically roasting them to light roast level. When brewing, FrontStreet Coffee therefore chooses a medium-fine grind size, a water temperature of 89-91°C, and a powder-to-water ratio of 1:15. During brewing, you can increase stirring to enhance the aroma.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombian coffee has a wide range of uses. It works both in espresso blends and as a single-origin pour-over, and it covers fruit-forward profiles, full-bodied profiles, and aroma-driven profiles, so it suits a broad range of tastes.

FrontStreet Colombia Huila is a good place to start. Huila Province, in the southern part of Colombia's central mountain range, is the country's most famous specialty coffee region. It is a land of hills surrounded by mountains, with cultivation above 1,500 meters, and the country's most important rivers converge there, bringing rich water and moisture. To explore the region, try FrontStreet washed Huila beans. Roasted medium-dark, they highlight dark chocolate, the sweetness of nuts, a moderate oiliness, and a full body. They suit pour-over and French press, and they also work in a Moka pot and on an espresso machine, so Americanos and lattes are both easy.

FrontStreet Colombia La Linea Estate Sidra is a more modern take. Colombian coffee was long washed by default, but in recent years experimental processing has become popular. Anaerobic fermentation is a fresh sensory experience and goes by several names, including carbonic maceration, but in simple terms it is fermentation in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, usually in a pressure-resistant stainless steel tank where temperature, time, and pH can be controlled. The best-known styles are anaerobic natural and anaerobic washed. FrontStreet Sidra uses anaerobic natural processing, and after oxygen-free fermentation the coffee develops more tropical fruit aroma. Roasted medium-light and brewed by pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or Moka pot, it offers complex, aromatic flavors of passion fruit, grape, apricot, and preserved fruit.

For anyone with a home espresso machine or a Moka pot, FrontStreet's specialty espresso blend is a strong recommendation. It was created for cafe use and combines the creamy, nutty aroma of Brazil with the dark chocolate bittersweetness of Colombia. Extraction yields a fine golden crema, and it pairs well with milk for a rich, smooth latte. It is friendly to beginners and also works as the base for Americanos, cappuccinos, mochas, and other standard espresso drinks.