Which Colombian Coffee is Recommended and What's the Optimal Water Temperature for Pour-Over?

FrontStreet Coffee - Colombian Coffee Regions, Flavor and Brewing Parameters

Northern Region

In northern Colombia you'll find coffee producing areas including Santander, Norte de Santander, La Guajira, Magdalena, and Cesar. According to Juan Carlos, 62,500 producers grow coffee there on 129,500 hectares of land.

Additionally, according to Colombia's National Coffee Growers Federation, coffee in the northern region grows above 9° latitude, with conditions similar to Central America: low latitude and high temperatures. On the other hand, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains as well as in Santander and Norte de Santander, crops are more exposed to the sun, so producers tend to use more shade-growing methods. According to the federation, coffee from these regions has lower acidity.

North-Central and South-Central Regions

Colombia's north-central and south-central regions include producing areas such as southern Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Chocó, Risaralda, Quindío, northern Valle del Cauca, Cundinamarca, and northern Tolima. Antioquia is Colombia's second-largest coffee-producing region, while Tolima is the third largest. Both belong to the country's most renowned producing regions.

Southern Region

Southern Colombia sits close to the equator, where coffee grows at higher elevations in mountainous terrain. This is a high-quality growing region: the coffee is famous for its brighter acidity and unique cup profile. In the south, 211,000 producers grow coffee on 282,000 hectares, which makes the average farm size in this region much smaller than in other parts of the country.

Colombia LA PALMA & EL TUCAN

Finca La Palma & El Tucán, Colombia

Country: Colombia

Region: Huila

Estate: La Palma & El Tucán

Processing Method: Lactic Natural

Altitude: 1650 meters

Variety: Catuai

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: medium-fine (BG 5R: 58% pass-through rate on the China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing Method: segmented extraction. Use a 15g dose and bloom with twice the coffee weight in water. When the surface of the coffee bed changes from wet to dry, you can end the bloom—about 30 seconds. Pour to 121g, and when the liquid level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 226g and stop. When the level drops again and is about to expose the bed, remove the filter cup. (Timing starts at the beginning of the bloom.) Total extraction time is 1'45".

Flavor: the entry brings citrus, strawberry, and lemongrass acidity, with honey and raisin sweetness. The mid-palate has cream and nuts, finishing with black tea.

Knowledge Bonus: Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee exporting country, mainly producing Arabica coffee—and it also exports more Arabica beans than any other country.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation: Colombian Beans Worth Brewing Tonight

For water temperature around 90°C, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombian range hits the mark. The washed Huila beans, roasted medium-dark, highlight dark chocolate and nutty sweetness with a full body—equally at home in a pour-over, French press, moka pot, or espresso machine. For a brighter, more experimental cup, the Sidra from Finca La Divisoria is an anaerobic natural: sealed, low-oxygen fermentation in pressure-resistant stainless tanks converts the sugars into tropical fruit aromatics, so a medium-light roast pours with passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried fruit. Brew either on a V60 at 90°C, 15g of coffee, 1:15 ratio—bloom with 25g of water for 25 seconds, then pour in stages to 225g for a balanced, layered cup.