Colombia - Elkin Guzman Catiope, Bourbon (Washed Carbonic Maceration)

Name: Catiope Bourbon

Country: Colombia

Region: Huila

Varietal: Catiope, Bourbon

Process: Washed Carbonic Maceration

Altitude: 1500 - 1750 MASL

Profile: Old Fashioned, Heavy Florals, Demerara Sugar, Melon

The Farm:
In the world of differentiated coffees, we have been experimenting and evaluated variables that help improve the quality of the coffees we handle to offer an excellent drink for our customers for more than 13 years. The area of the farm is 31 hectares, where we have sandy-loam and clay-loam soils with good organic matter conditions that help our coffee trees to have excellent nutrition. Our coffee farming is managed under semi-shade systems to optimize temperature regulation and the effect of photosynthesis in our coffee plantations. The processes that we have established are NATURAL-WASHED- HONEY-FREZZER, which we manage according to average Brix degrees to process 20° with an acceptance in the maturity scale of 90% mature grains, there are pH evaluations for final fermentation ranges which depends on the temperature of the dough and the room temperature.

For these coffees we can work with any variety, the starting point is a minimum degree of ripeness of 90% and an average Brix degree of 20-24. Our pickers are trained to achieve this objective and guarantee this first quality filter. After the coffee arrives to the processing area it is floated to eliminate by density those dry grains, broken beans, leaves, and voids that could affect the homogeneity of the fermentation process as well as improve the physical quality of the coffee (yield factor). The coffee selected from this process passes through sieves to be selected by hand, removing the pinto and/or overripe beans, being very selective with the highest quality fruit to initiate the process. These conditions are applied as quality filters for all processes. After the selection the coffee is deposited in plastic tanks to ferment in cherry for a period of 96 to 144 hours, with CO2 injection, during this period the coffee bean undergoes changes in the color of its mucilage that is transferred to the parchment, they are intense and dark pink tones, This helps to improve the sweetness of the coffee and the body of the final beverage in addition to intensifying the fruity notes of the coffee. The changes in this first stage are more enzymatic, the coffee is pulped and deposited again in the tanks with the same juice (musto) that is rich in sugars and microorganisms, These are hermetically covered to initiate the fermentation that, thanks to the microorganisms, begin to metabolize the sugar chains of the mucilage developing better attributes in fragrance and acidity, CO2 is generated that displaces the oxygen (O2) existing in the barrel leading to a maceration environment, this time can be between 72 to 96 hours, a total of 168 to 240 hours of fermentation between cherry and mucilage to then be washed and taken to drying for a period of 18 to 25 days. This process allows us to achieve a brighter, more aromatic, floral, sweet coffee, as well as accentuating certain flavors and acidity thanks to the union of the two varieties that we selected for this process. We obtained the CATIOPE seed about 6 years ago in one of the experimental stations of cenicafe located in the municipality of TIMBIO-CAUCA, where I visited to understand a little more about the world of coffee, at one point in the tour we observed an investigative plot where this material was being evaluated and I liked it very much for its production and structure of the tree. Also, when we asked a little about this new variety we were told that it was the result of crossing the CATURRA variety with LINEAS ETIOPES hence its name CATIOPE, it is a variety that we fell in love with because of its productive behavior and the quality in cup that we have achieved in these years.

Please note: We roast to order three times a week. Your order will ship as promptly as possible, with the freshest roast possible. You will receive a notification when your order has been shipped or is ready to be picked up locally (if you choose pickup as your shipping option). 

If you have any questions, please contact us at order@theorycoffee.com.