Colombia Los Nogales Caturra Low Caf

COUNTRY: Colombia
REGION: Pitalito, Huila
FARM: Los Nogales
VARIETY: Caturra
PROCESS: Natural
ELEVATION: 1750-1950 M
CUPPING NOTES: Ripe Banana, Candy, Papaya

   Around 80 years ago, Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo set out to settle on "Los Nogales," a farm in Pitalito, Huila, with a dream to make a name in coffee history. Their love led to the birth of eight children who devoted their lives to the countryside. One of the siblings stood out, leading the family to be remembered in the coffee world. In 1952, Ricaurte Hernández, the youngest son, was born. He worked as a farmer and discovered the value of generosity, humility, and entrepreneurship through his experiences on the land; his dream was to see his children grow up on his farm with the values he cherished. In Valle del Cauca, Ricaurte met his life partner, Suldery Arango, a woman with coffee in her veins, and together they built a coffee empire. In 2005, their estate won first place in Colombia's "Cup of Excellence" contest, thanks to the family's dedication.
    Ricaurte was a visionary, always looking for innovative practices in coffee cultivation and business. His life ended tragically in 2013 due to violence in the Colombian countryside, leaving a legacy of resilience and inspiration for coffee farmers across the country. After Ricaurte's death, the family considered selling the farm, but Oscar Fernando, his youngest son, decided to honor his father's legacy and took over the farm.
    His dedication to sustainable practices and innovation, coupled with his experience in environmental management, has transformed Los Nogales into a modern coffee production center, producing high-quality coffee while emphasizing research, technological innovation, and environmental conservation.
    The journey of this low caf coffee begins with the meticulous selection of ripe cherries, ensuring only the highest quality beans are chosen. After being disinfected with treated water, the cherries are sorted using a water density method to ensure optimal quality. The pulp is then removed.
    The low caf process starts by immersing the coffee beans in hot water at 80°C to open the pores and prepare them for caffeine extraction. A natural solvent derived from coffee pulp is introduced to the water, and this process is repeated three times to remove approximately 95% of the caffeine while preserving the coffee’s inherent flavors.
    Next, a unique fermentation process is employed using a sourdough starter. This fermentation lasts for 4 days (96 hours) in plastic containers. The sourdough, which acts as a starter culture similar to traditional sourdough, is collected from previous batches of the same coffee type and stored at a controlled temperature of 18°C to maintain optimal conditions.
The final step involves an 8-day drying process in a controlled environment, ensuring the coffee reaches the ideal moisture level. This meticulous approach preserves the freshness and quality of the beans, resulting in a coffee with delightful notes of Banana, candy, sweet & sugary, papaya, and cinnamon.
   This a truly amazing coffee, a bit on the far out side of the flavor spectrum, but incredibly sweet and jammy.  Last year's lot was used by a professional to win the US brewers cup, competing against those using top tier Geishas from Panama.  The fact that a low caf coffee could compete on a stage of that caliber says all you need to know.  If you prefer a more robust classic cup profile, our Colombia Water Process Decaf is a great choice for you.  If you are a fan of the lighter and fruitier coffees that we offer you owe it to yourself to try this one.  The best part is you can enjoy this as your guilt free last cup each day, being a low caf option, while never once thinking 'this tastes like a decaf.'