Colombian Coffee

Colombian coffee is also known as Colombian Milds and is of the highest quality as well as the most expensive Arabica coffee. All Colombian coffee is “washed” this causes any impurities and acidic agents to be released, and this gives it its rich taste and aroma.

Colombian Coffee production starts in the nursery, where many carefully picked beans are planted. The beans are planted very closely together and coated with enriched, fruitful soil. The seeds sprout and roots start to develop approximately eight weeks later. The best quality plants are selected and transferred to the nursery and cautiously looked after for six months. When they grow to around two feet, they are relocated to the plantation where they are grown further. A standard coffee tree takes about three to four years to be fully grown and start blossoming. The initial fruit materializes approximately six months later. Coffee trees produce flowers and fruits simultaneously. All coffee trees each produce one pound of coffee per year.

Coffee beans are ready for reaping when they are of a rich, red colour. This is when the berries are picked; afterwards they are placed into bags and transported to the de-pulping machine. This machine eliminates pulp from the two beans that are in the middle of every berry. The pulp is re-used as fertilizer for new plants and seeds while the beans which are enclosed in a hard parchment shell go to huge concrete tanks. Here they are saturated for twenty four hours in cold mountain water. The saturation starts a mild fermentation process that is fundamental for the coffee’s aroma. The beans are washed disposing of fragments, twigs, or bad beans. After washing, the beans are dried and put in huge containers. They are placed out in the open, where they are rotated repeatedly until fully dried. It is essential to cover the beans when rain occurs and at night.

Columbian coffee goes through extreme quality control standards. Inspection is done on sanitary conditions, trees and the crop. An inspector checks to ensure that beans are washed appropriately. Satisfactory size, consistency, colour are also checked. The last inspection is done by eliminating the husk and hard parchment of a bean and then it is cut in half to check moisture level. If the bean is perfectly dried, the farmer is free to take his harvest to the market. The crop is tested again by the market owner. The bags of coffee are opened and inspected by putting a sample of beans in a small machine which removes the parchment of the bean. It is then tested for smell, colour, moisture, size and consistency. The best crops are sold and issued for export.

The coffee beans are taken to the mill where they are put in machines, and the hard husk and skin that surrounds the beans are removed. Impurities are removed, and beans are sorted by size, weight and shape. After passing these tests beans get a stamp of approval. Prior to bags being sealed yet another test is done where a sample is graded and weighed, roasted, ground, and tasted in a well made cup of coffee. Points are rewarded for, acidity, consistency and aroma. If quality of coffee is not satisfactory it will not be exported.

Colombian coffee is distinguished by its soft texture. When Colombian coffee is freshly roasted it has an intense acidity, enriched flavour and delightful aroma.

Tags: Colombian Coffee, Colombian Milds, Columbian Coffee