New Berry-Forward Natural Coffee from Colombia
We used to firmly believe that our featured natural single origin should always be super fruity and jammy, and natural coffees from Ethiopia would always hit the mark. But last year, we realized that we were limiting ourselves and missing out on some really tasty beans. So, we started playing with our natural offerings this year to explore the different flavors we can find in natural coffees. We started with a natural coffee from Bali, Indonesia that had notes of red dragonfruit and cocoa nibs, and then moved onto a more winey natural coffee from Muruta, Burundi. Now, we’re excited to showcase a berry forward natural coffee from Colombia!
Natural processed coffee is dried with the fruit still on it. These cherries are partially dried, and need a few more weeks before being mechanically separated. Photo by Royal Coffee Importers
The Colombia Natural Tolima Dulce comes from the Caicedonia and El Rubi communities of Planadas, Tolima Department. Tolima is the third largest coffee producing region in Colombia, but for decades, it was lesser known because it was overshadowed by armed conflict and coca leaf production. Farmers in Planadas were isolated, but they continued to cultivate coffee on a few acres of land and intercropped them with shade trees, bananas, corn, beans, and sugarcane. As conflict has subsided in recent years, it made it safer and easier for locally organized producer groups to reach out to buyers and create better passage for their coffees.
Drying cherries in a solar drier in Caicedonia. The plastic covering protects the cherries from rainfall and also helps regulate the temperature for drying. Photo by Royal Coffee
While washing coffee is the common processing method in Caicedonia and El Rubi, a small group of producers decided to experiment with the natural processing method. Taking on a new processing method can be both time consuming and costly, and luckily, their risk taking measures were met with positive results! The coffee is bright and tea-like with notes of red grape, blackberry, and hibiscus. A handful of our staff say it’s their new favorite because the berry notes are delicate, and it’s a good coffee to share with folks who want to ease into punchy naturals.
We have a limited amount of this coffee, and we expect to run out by the end of the year! Grab a bag while you can: andytownsf.com/purchase/colombia-natural-tolima-dulce
