Colombia - Elkin Guzman El Mirador Catiope | Strawberry Co-ferment - Archived

Origin

• 🇨🇴 Colombia· Huila

Tasting notes

Character

• Experimental
  60
• Funky
  50
• Bright
  25

Located in the village of El Portal in Huila, Colombia, El Mirador is a 31-hectare farm planted with several varieties like CaturraCaturraA natural dwarf mutation of Bourbon found in Brazil: compact plants, easier picking, bright and clean cup. A workhorse across Latin America., Tabi, Catiope, Orange BourbonBourbonOne of the two foundational arabica varieties (with Typica), named after Île Bourbon (Réunion). Sweet, balanced, caramel-leaning; parent of countless modern cultivars., Striped Bourbon, Mokka and more. Caturra is a core varietyVariety (cultivar)The botanical subtype of the coffee plant — Gesha, Bourbon, SL28 — analogous to grape varieties in wine. A major driver of cup character alongside origin and process. for the farm as well, making it a staple for volume lots. Elkin Guzman, the owner of El Mirador, has been surrounded by coffee since he was born. His family has always been involved in coffee cultivation, trading, or retail. Collectively, his family has celebrated over 70 years in coffee now, with 12 years of research devoted to post-harvest processing techniques. All of this research and experience has brought Elkin to utilize multiple processing techniques depending on the individual lot of coffee, including Coffee Maceration, LacticFunky / lacticTasting language for deliberate fermentation flavor: yogurt-like tang (lactic), winey or boozy notes, overripe fruit. A feature in experimental lots, a defect in classic ones. and Acetic NaturalNatural processThe whole cherry is dried with the fruit still on the seed. Gives heavier body and big fruit flavors — think berries and wine — sometimes with a fermenty edge. processes, and Natural Hydro HoneyHoney processThe skin is removed but some sticky fruit mucilage is left on during drying. Lands between washed and natural: more sweetness and body than washed, cleaner than natural.. Harvest and post-harvest procedures are highly standardized for consistency and quality. First, the sugar content of the coffee cherries is measured in degrees Brix, followed by density and volumetric separation. Finally, the decision is made on which processing method is best suited to bring each lot to its fullest potential. The processing methods used by Elkin embody his pioneering spirit, combining different approaches to fermentation and drying techniques to complement each coffee’s inherent characteristics. In the case of this lot of Catiope coffee, the team at El Mirador chose a special processing method that they call Strawberry Natural. Catiope is a variety that Elkin came across during a visit to an experimental station operated by Cenicafé in Timbio, Cauca, Colombia. They told him that the cultivar was a result of crossing Caturra with Lineas Etiopes, hence the name. After planting it on his farm Elkin fell in love with the variety for its production and cup quality. For the Strawberry natural the harvested coffee cherries undergo a disinfection process with a citric acid solution. They then begin the co-fermentationCo-fermentationCoffee fermented together with added fruit, yeast, or spices, which imprint their flavor on the bean. Loud, candy-like cups; purists debate whether it still 'tastes like coffee'. process by separating a 40-liter m