Colombia, what's up, old man?

It's always a luxury to land in Colombia. Bogotá welcomes us warmly. There we make a mandatory stop to adjust to the altitude while having a coffee at Azahar or refueling at Salvo Patria. Without a doubt, Colombia is a country of contrasts, marked by the great Andean mountain ranges that cross it from north to south. Since 2017, our visits to this origin have focused on a very specific region: the department of Huila, and here especially the southeast. During this time, we have maintained relationships with producers in this region, sharing knowledge to improve the quality of their coffees and the price they receive.

Colombia brand coffees

Colombia is the coffee-producing nation par excellence. Nearly 540,000 Colombian families make their living from coffee production. The vast majority of producers live on their own plots or farms, which average no more than 2 hectares. This creates a very flexible coffee industry with a strong foundation, which has been the work of the National Federation of Coffee Growers. This Federation emerged in 1927 when Colombian coffee growers decided to unite and create an organization that would represent them nationally and internationally. At the same time, it would ensure their well-being and improve their quality of life. This example of exceptional national unity has led to the development of the coffee business like no other country in Latin America.

Colombian coffee is the basis for fine or washed coffees on the market and the most highly valued internationally. Lots of Colombian coffee, to be exported as "Café de Colombia," must pass a series of controls to ensure the coffee is free of defects. Lower-quality coffees or those that fall outside the "Product of Colombia" category, such as fermented coffees—natural, honey, or anaerobic—are typically exported as "Product of Colombia." This detail has made the Colombia brand a national and international symbol.

Internal marketing and some experiments at source

Regarding domestic marketing, Colombian coffee has many unique characteristics. Unlike other countries like Ethiopia, where small producers market dried cherries, here parchment coffee reigns supreme. That is, washed and dried coffee ready to be hulled and graded for export. This point is crucial to understanding the potential of quality, as the producer controls virtually all of their coffee's success. They are responsible for the investment in land, the varieties they grow, fermentation, and drying until the parchment coffee reaches its optimal drying point.

For this reason, we've dedicated ourselves to continuous improvements, helping producers find the profile we were looking for in washed, honey, and natural coffees. The result is like being in Disney World for Right Side Coffee. We range from clean, elegant, and juicy washed coffees, such as the Caturra produced by Don Ananías Silvestre, to developing our own fermentation recipes. Always with the goal of allowing fermentation to develop the variety, as in the case of the experiments conducted with the Contreras Brothers.

Direct dealings with producers of Colombian origin

Regarding our direct marketing efforts in the country, last harvest we began working with a small group of producers in the municipality of Guadalupe. We took advantage of this trip to visit them and monitor improvements at the source. These improvements include improvements at the farm level, infrastructure, and practices for processing their coffee, both wet and dry.

Negotiations with our producers are carried out in batches of parchment coffee. This way, we can ensure that they receive the agreed price and that there are no intermediaries who could take advantage of the situation. Coocentral, the cooperative with which we work closely in this area, plays a key role here. Together with them, we also provide them with agronomic technical assistance to ensure their crops are productive over the long term.

The group of producers we work with has become legendary. We began roasting the Don Ananías filter batch, developing fruity potency. As if it were Kenyan, but with a sweet vanilla base. The Contreras Brothers delighted us with a wash that develops like apple caramel into espresso and is dense on the palate. And we brought back an old acquaintance: Don Arturo Avilés at Superauto with a powerful cup where cocoa and red fruits roam freely. Three washes to kick off the Colombian season with what they do best. Clean, expressive coffees that will leave no one indifferent.