Velvet Truffle - Colombia

A Colombian classic, with a fruity twist! 

This crop reminds us of one of our earliest crops we introduced back in 2023, a classical bold tasting coffee, with a fruity soul.

Produced out of La Cristalina farm at Quindío, by Alberto and German Grajales at an elevation of 1450 Meters Above Sea Level (MASL), where the perfect humidity and cool temperatures produce exceptional crops indeed. 

LaCristalina is a19 hectare family owned farm with more than 100 years of tradition. The farm’s owner was Guillermo Grajales, who left the farm to his two sons Alberto and German after his passing in 2015. Maria Grajales is the fifth generation of coffee growers at this farm and the one that started implementing different processing techniques like naturals from 2015 ongoing. Cristalina’s main crop is coffee, mainly of the Castillo variety. Among other crops planted at La Christalina are some plantain and orange trees as well as different cacao varietals that started in 2019 to secure futures income, according to the anticipated climate change.

The harvest process of this crop starts with selecting the best cherries, then they are taken to the fermentation tanks filled with water, in this stage the less dense grains, known as floats, remain on the surface and are removed to improve the final crop's quality. After this stage, the water is removed, and the beans are then fermented for 64 hours, covering them with porous plastic, this is known as oxidation process which happens when cherries get in contact with oxygen in a controlled environment.

After the fermentation stage is done, the cherries are then taken begin their drying process in African beds the morning after the oxidation process ends. The cherries are left in on the beds for 2 days, and after that it is taken to a mechanical silo to keep on drying and avoid over-fermentation. This additional process can take up to 2-3 days.

When the coffee has the ideal humidity (10.5%), it is packed bags and sealed in the afternoon hours, this process is done to ensure the coffees freshness and there is no risk of humidity condensation after sealing. It is left in a warehouse conditioned only for coffee for a month and a half, with good airflow and temperature of 21°C until homogenization and stabilization are achieved. Locking in those chemical aromatic compounds produced by the processing of it. 

This is a coffee to be enjoyed with many brewing methods. Hence, we opted to roast it to a medium level (omni roast) to be suitable to as many tastes as possible.

Crop Information:

• Origin: Colombia -  Quindío
• Variety: Castillo
• Processing Method: Aerobic Fermentation, Natural
• Altitude: 1450 Meters Above Sea Level
• Aroma/Flavor: Chocolate Truffle, Figs, Cocoa, Juicy Plum, Red Grape, Hazelnut 
• Roast Level: Omni Roast
• Cupping Score: 87.5 Points 

Recommended Brew Recipes:

• Filter (V60):
  • Ratio: 1:15.5 (Coffee:Water)
  • Dose: 20g
  • Water: 320ml (g) 
  • Time: 2:30 - 3 Minutes
  • Water Temp 92 Degrees Celsius max 
  • Method: 4 Pours total (including bloom):
    • 40g Bloom.
    • @ 30 sec: Add Up to 120g Slow Spiral Pour.
    • @ 1:10 Min: Add Up To 220g Center Pour, Medium Flow Rate.
    • As soon as bed dries: Add up to 320g Center Pour, Slow (Non aggressive) Flow rate. 
• Iced (V60):
  • Ratio: 1:14.5 (Coffee:Water)
  • Dose: 22g
  • Water: 160ml + 160g ice (320ml total) 
  • Time: 1:20 - 1:45 Minutes
  • Water Temp 92 Degrees Celsius max 
  • Method: 3 Pours total (including bloom):
    • 40g Bloom.
    • @ 30 Sec: Add Up To 100g Spiral Pour, and swirl after.
    • As soon as bed dries: Add up to 160g Spiral Pour, medium (Non aggressive) Flow rate.
    • Add 160g Ice into decanter and swirl till ice melts.
    • Pour into a cup and enjoy.