What Brand of Pour-Over Coffee Beans is Best? How Colombian Huilan Coffee Beans Capture All the Love

FrontStreet Coffee - Colombian Huilan Introduction

As Colombia's national treasure of specialty coffee, Huilan has won the affection of countless coffee enthusiasts.

First and foremost, Colombian Huilan is a premium variety within the Arabica species, widely recognized for its exceptional balance. Huilan coffee is cultivated from carefully selected Arabica varieties by Colombian growers.

The region's uniquely favorable environment also creates excellent conditions for Huilan's growth. Named after the Colombian region, Colombian Huilan grows on the canyon slopes of the Huila region in South America at elevations between 1,400-1,800 meters. Abundant rainfall, fresh air, a pleasant climate and spring-like conditions year-round provide an ideal terroir.

After the Huilan cherries ripen, Colombians typically harvest by hand, meticulously selecting only the most mature and plump fruit.

Most impressively, Colombian Huilan beans predominantly undergo washed processing. This method removes the coffee fruit's skin and pulp, then ferments the beans in water tanks before thorough washing and drying. Washed coffees typically offer pure flavors, a bright mouthfeel and pleasant acidity, reducing some of the defects found in natural processing.

Colombian beans are graded with Special Selection (SUPERMO) as the highest grade and Upper Selection (EXCELSO) below it; however, only Special Selection coffee with beans sized 18 (18/64 inches in diameter) or larger can be classified as specialty coffee.

The Huilan region features mountainous terrain, with coffee planted on canyon slopes that provide the high altitudes suitable for premium Arabica and ideal temperatures. The canyon slope climate not only prevents cold winds from entering but also supplies cooling mountain breezes without extreme heat, while maintaining sufficient rainfall, which makes it a truly exceptional coffee-growing environment. Colombian coffee workers also harvest the cherries by hand on the mountains, allowing careful selection of only the most mature and plump fruit. The vast majority of these beans are washed processed and, when medium roasted, produce a light and silky mouthfeel, sometimes accompanied by a hint of acidity.

Knowledge Point

Nariño belongs to Colombia's highland coffee-growing areas, nurturing many small farmers who produce specialty coffee. It is also Colombia's first coffee region named after its origin.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Huila, in the southern part of Colombia's Central Cordillera, is the country's most famous specialty coffee region, surrounded by mountains with planting elevations above 1,500 meters, where Colombia's most important rivers converge and bring abundant water and humidity. FrontStreet Coffee's washed Huila coffee is medium-dark roasted, which brings out dark chocolate and nut notes with moderate oils and a mellow, full body. It suits pour-over and French press, and can also be used in a moka pot or espresso machine for Americanos and lattes.

For a more modern, fruit-driven Colombian cup, FrontStreet Coffee's Finca La Divisa Sidra is anaerobically processed. Anaerobic fermentation, sometimes called carbonic maceration, takes place in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, usually a pressure-resistant stainless steel tank where temperature, time, pH and other data can be controlled; the best-known styles are anaerobic natural and anaerobic washed. FrontStreet Coffee's Sidra uses anaerobic natural processing and a medium-light roast, so a pour-over, cold brew, drip bag or moka pot all deliver complex passion fruit, grape, apricot and candied fruit aromas.

If you have a home espresso machine or a moka pot, FrontStreet Coffee's Specialty Blend is a good match: it combines the creamy nut aroma of Brazilian coffee with the dark chocolate bittersweetness of Colombian coffee, and pulls with a fine golden crema. It is especially friendly to beginners, rich and smooth with milk in a latte, and works as the base for Americanos, cappuccinos and mochas.