Decaf De Caña, Huila

Roaster Notes: 

For decaf, I’m getting a strong body! The sweetness is round, still reminiscent of persimmon similar to our last decaf- maybe this distinct flavor derives from the Sugarcane processing. Has anyone else had the unique experience of indulging in a ripe persimmon? It looks like a tomato, feels like a tomato, but tastes like the cross between an apricot and an apple. They are a rare find, and I was lucky enough to have a kind and giving neighbor whose mothers grew persimmon trees. If you ever come across some at your local farmer’s market, give them a whirl….or you could just sip on this coffee for the same great taste. 

Importer Notes:

“Ethyl acetate is an occurring ester (present in bananas and also as a by-product of fermented sugars) that is used as a solvent to bond with and remove caffeine from green coffee. First, the coffee is sorted and steamed for 30 minutes under low pressure in order to open the coffee seeds’ pores and prepare them for decaffeination. The coffee is placed in a solution of both water and ethyl acetate, where the E.A. will begin to bond with the salts of chlorogenic acids inside the seeds. The tank will be drained and re-filled over the course of eight hours until caffeine is no longer detected.

Located in southwestern Colombia, Huila is nestled in-between the Central and Eastern ranges of the Andes, with the middle area called the Magdalena Valley. The variation in elevation results in Huila being one of the country's most unique and complex regions of coffee production. Its terroir, climate, and harvest cycles all contribute to the quality of coffee produced here. The most impressive quality behind the coffees coming out of Huila lies in the people producing them. While Huila accounts for nearly 20% of the country's production, 80% of coffee producers operate on less than three hectares.“