Decaffeinated Popayan Colombia

Outperforming expectations In uncaffienated versions

It might seem like a dream or perhaps an overly optimistic fantasy of the caffeine intolerant to have a delicate decaf that give an expressive bouquet of the mountainous terroir. Can the decaffeinated option holds it’s own amongst the caffeinated counterparts? The odds have been against this becoming a reality for the longest time due to the distance traveled and time elapsed from when the coffee is harvested. There are different options that provide a variety of resulting flavors. The quality of the coffee, the timeliness of the processing, and the chosen method of decaffeination all impact the resulting product.

This lot starts as freshly-milled green coffee that was grown in the highlands of Colombia, then it is also decaffeinated in Colombia as well. One of the challenges with coffee is freshness and unfortunately that is commonly a second thought in many ways when it comes to decaf. DESCAFECOL is a Colombian owned company in Manizales that has a decaffeination process that’s on the gentle side: a light steam bath to open the pores on the surface of the bean, caffeine is removed using a naturally derived ethyl acetate from sugarcane processing, the coffee is dried and then moved directly to port. The beauty of this process is that once the coffee arrives into the dry mill it is immediately processed and will be headed to Manizales at week’s end. DESCAFECOL can have lots like this decaffeinated and at port awaiting to be loaded within two weeks. The result is fresh tasting decaf that reminds you of the regions which they are from.

This lot is from the high altitude plateau region of southern Cauca, that ranges from 1800-2000 masl around the towns of San Jose, La Palmera, Inza, and Palmichal. The producers here choose to grow the Colombia, Caturra, Typica and Castillo varieties for the most part due to dealing with coffee leaf rust. Community support is essential in these areas due to the remote nature and the power in numbers as it pertains to receiving a fair price. Regional and community blending allows several dozen producers to speak with a unified voice of the possibilities in flavors that are in the Cauca valley. The coffees are dynamic in their display of ripe red fruits, saturated sweetness, and substantial texture.

As you reach for this decaf, you will get a sense of place. Popayan, Colombia has a rich history with coffee and these coffees reflect the beauty that grows in the mountains. The naturally gentle decaffeination at DESCAFECOL, eliminates excess time and travel by decaffeinating Colombian coffee with naturally derived ethyl acetate from processing sugarcane into molasses. Both are renewable products that captures the beauty of coffee from Colombia in a non caffeinated sustainable manner. Rich indeed, Tart cherry and black raspberry provide a refreshing welcome before quickly becoming syrupy sweet. Date paste and bits of pastry crust leads us to the density of dark chocolate that holds you to remind you how satisfying coffee can be. Colombia indeed produces wonderful coffees with and without caffeine.

Decaffeinated Popayan Colombia

• Origin - Colombia

• Region - Cauca

• Province - Meseta de Popayan

• Municipality - Popayan

• Decaffeination - DESCAFECOL

• Varietal - Caturra, Castillo, Colombia

• Elevation - 1700-1900 masl

• Experience - Selecting the winning numbers.