What Variety is Colombian Big Navel Coffee Bean? How to Brew Finca La Divisa Big Navel?

"Why is this coffee called Big Navel?"

It is a question customers often ask while reading FrontStreet Coffee's bean menu board. And honestly, the name "Big Navel" looks out of place anywhere it appears - which makes it stand out more than any other coffee on the list. Some of you may already have guessed the reason: the name comes from the fruit's appearance. More precisely, the shape of the cherry carries a distinctly navel-like feature.

What is Big Navel?

The most striking thing about this variety is not just that it resembles a navel - it is also big! Compared with ordinary Arabica varieties, both its cherries and beans are noticeably larger, in the same league as Maragogype or Pacamara. And because the beans are so large, growers have to adjust their machinery when processing them; otherwise, the narrow gaps in standard pulping equipment can easily damage the oversized beans during de-pulping.

The "navel" name works much like the navel orange in citrus: there is a naturally formed, navel-shaped structure at the blossom end of the fruit. Because the feature looks so much like a human belly button, farmers named the variety "Ombligon" - Spanish for "navel."

Origin and Cultivation

Today, Big Navel is grown mainly in Colombia's Huila region. Like most rare varieties discovered in Colombia, the farmers who first cultivated it had no idea what it was - only that it might be a natural mutation descended from Ethiopian stock. Genetic testing by World Coffee Research later confirmed that hunch: the variety carries 60% Ethiopian landrace genes and 40% Colombian coffee genes.

Colombian farmers noticed that, possibly because it arose as a natural mutation, the plant shares several traits with Colombia's native Caturra: equally broad leaves, very densely clustered cherries, upright branches, and remarkably high yields.

That said, some Colombian coffee professionals believe Big Navel may instead have mutated from varieties such as Pacamara, Bourbon, or even Castillo. Whatever its exact parentage, the variety shows strong resistance to coffee leaf rust, so growers rarely have to worry about plant health - it is genuinely easy to cultivate.

Flavor Profile and Recognition

Thanks to that combination of high yield and disease resistance, farmers across Huila began planting it. And testing showed that Big Navel grown at 1600m-1800m altitude delivers the best cup. As for flavor, it deserves a closer look, because Big Navel's profile is truly distinctive - distinctive enough to appear regularly on the world competition stage.

Big Navel first made its mark at the 2023 WBC (World Barista Championship) finals, where Australian competitor Jack Simpson used Big Navel from Diviso Estate as his competition coffee and finished an impressive third. In post-competition interviews, Jack explained that he chose the bean for its complex, one-of-a-kind flavors, which matched exactly what he wanted from a competition coffee. Around the same WBC season, many other competitors also brewed Big Navel on stage, and the variety steadily became known to coffee lovers everywhere.

FrontStreet Coffee naturally did not want to miss such a unique treat, so early last year we added Diviso Estate Big Navel to our menu - which is what inspired the question at the start of this article.

FrontStreet Coffee's Big Navel Offering

FrontStreet Coffee: Colombia · Diviso Estate Big Navel

Region: Huila

Estate: Finca El Diviso

Altitude: 1700 meters

Processing: Double Anaerobic Natural

Variety: Big Navel

Flavor Notes: Grape, Orange, Blueberry, Pineapple Juice, Spices, Fermented Wine Aroma

Although these beans look darker - almost like a dark roast - that color comes purely from the anaerobic processing, which leaves more sugar on the bean surface and intensifies caramelization during roasting. In reality the coffee is still medium-light roasted, so FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing it with parameters suited to light roasts:

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-Over Recommendations

Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 90-93°C
Coffee Dose: 15g
Water Ratio: 1:15
Brew Time: 2 minutes
Grind Size: Coarse sugar (20# sieve, 75% pass-through)

No exaggeration - the flavor really is singular. At high temperatures you get a very clear blackcurrant note, joined by the sweet-tart brightness of orange and pineapple, almost like a blackcurrant fruit punch. In the aftertaste, chocolate, spices, and a fermented wine aroma linger - rich, layered, and genuinely excellent!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you enjoy exploring Colombia's newer frontiers, FrontStreet Coffee suggests these from our lineup:

• FrontStreet Washed Huila Coffee - from Colombia's most famous specialty region, where hills sit above 1500 meters and rivers supply abundant water. Medium-dark roasted to bring out black chocolate, nutty sweetness, and a full, rounded body; works beautifully as pour-over or French press, and also pulls a great shot for Americano or latte on espresso and moka pots.
• FrontStreet Finca El Diviso Sidra Coffee - an anaerobic natural from the same estate, showing how Colombia's innovative processing unlocks tropical fruit. Medium-light roasted, it delivers passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried-fruit aromas whether you brew it as pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or moka pot.
• FrontStreet Signature Espresso Blend - for home espresso machines and moka pots, combining Brazil's creamy nuttiness with Colombia's dark chocolate bitterness. It pours a fine golden crema and pairs beautifully with milk for a rich, silky latte - very beginner-friendly, and a solid base for Americano, cappuccino, or mocha.