Colombia is undoubtedly the promised land for coffee. Several factors contribute to this unique situation. First, the country's spectacular topography, characterized by diverse Andean mountain ranges that provide enviable altitude and a multitude of incredible microclimates for coffee cultivation. But that's not all. Because it's crossed by the equator (the Earth's axis), this South American country offers year-round harvests, depending on the mountain range. And the story wouldn't be complete without the pride its people feel in taking coffee cultivation to its highest expression. A true marvel!
The Contreras Brothers, our producer friends
Our direct dealings focused on the department of Huila and specialized in the municipality of Guadalupe. In 2017, we found our star coffee-growing family: the Contreras. A group of brothers led by José Heider, followed by Luis, Felipe, and David. During our first trips to Colombia, we realized that the generational shift could be a risk factor in developing a long-term project that we could commit to and improve together.
The Contreras family is a great inspiration to other Colombian coffee producers in the region. Their vision is completely focused on producing the highest quality coffee. And we have managed to elevate that quality through post-harvest processes, namely fermentation and drying.
Work from home
Specifically, a batch from Felipe initially caught our attention. In a blind tasting, we saw that the coffee was a traditional washed Castillo, but it had an unusual juiciness for this variety, which is characterized by high acidity, herbal notes, and a medium body. To be honest, we're not huge fans of it, but we accepted the challenge. The following year, we experimented with different extended fermentations to avoid dry tones and increase juiciness and body. We achieved optimal results, and this year we've taken it a step further.
We present the first harvest of Colombian coffee from the Contreras Brothers, processed using the 'Honey Glory' method, an exclusive Right Side Coffee recipe. We can confidently say that we've exceeded our expectations with this very elegant coffee, boasting a dense and robust body. Notes of coconut milk, papaya, pineapple, and subtle hints of lime lead to a long, lingering almond finish. Our motivation and what drives us to improve every day is our commitment to the process from start to finish. What are you waiting for? Try this special batch! Subscribe and let us know what you think.