COLOMBIA rum punch ∙ plums ∙ walnut
We are proud to present one of the
most unique Colombians this season produced by Brenda Pinzon and
carefully processed by the specialists at La Palma & El Tucán.
LA PALMA & EL TUCÁN „We imagine a better world, with better coffee and better practices.”
W
hile Brazil produces 30–35% of the world’s coffee, it is closely followed by Colombia with about 12 %. Colombian coffees are of superior quality due several factors: the country’s high altitude, the quality oriented methods of cherry picking, and the careful management of micro-lots. The interests of local farmers are protected by the well-organized Corporation of Colombian Coffee Growers. There is a definite need for such an organization, as there are more than six hundred thousand small farms at the altitude of 1200–1400 meters, each smaller than 2 hectares. The Andes divide Colombia into regions and have created many unique micro-climates. La Palma & El Tucán is without doubt an exciting project in the quality-oriented specialty coffee world. The Colombian company in the Andes approach the world of coffee with an innovative, fresh mind. They not only place special emphasis on the selection and processing of the beans, but they have
also established a unique business model. They co-operate closely with more than 200 local growers who are all dedicated to produce high quality coffee. Sustainability is a popular buzzword in the world of specialty coffee, but this concept is taken really seriously at La Palma & El Tucán: the growers are paid over 50 % more than the country´s price average, they grow coffee trees in nurseries and later donate them to the local farmers. They even bear the transportation costs of the harvest. La Palma & El Tucán provides an on-going training for their partners so that they can improve the quality of the coffee. The beans are collected by pickers trained in quality harvesting methods. The first-class coffee beans are then transported to the state-of-the-art wet mill of La Palma & El Tucán, where they are processed with truly revolutionary methods. We are proud to be a long-term business partner of these enthusiastic people.
the altitude of 1300 metres, with 9100 Castillo bushes carefully shaded by plantain and lemon trees. Although Doña Brenda lives in Bogota, she often pays a visit to Yabari. Unfortunately her children perused other careers, the farm is managed by local farmers. Brenda is helped by Neighbours & Crops, which is a programme run by La Palma & El Tucán. This programme helps her with harvesting, processing and selling her crop as she does not have her own infrastructure.
Our coffees taste the best when extracted with water of the proper hardness* range. In order to highlight the best flavour of our roasts we recommend having 5 to 10 days of resting period after roasting, but consume within two weeks of opening. Enjoy!
Fermentation is facilitated by lactic-acid. A higher lactic-acid concentration is aimed for while focusing on the anaerobic processes. Lactic acid is generated during the fermentation of the pulp and greatly contributes to the final flavour profile of the coffee. After the final washing and rinsing, the cherries are dried in the sun for about 15 days.
Yabari is a farm in the village of Tolu, in La Mesa, which is a region in Cundinamarca, Colombia. The farm is at * Total hardness: 50 –175 ppm CaCO3 (2.9–9.8 °d), ppm CaCO3 (2.2–4.2 °d), pH: 6.5-8.0.
alkalinity/buffer: 40 –75 (The SCAE Water Chart)
photo by the Long Miles Coffee Project
BRENDA PINZON