El Tambo – Colombia

ORIGIN

Bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, Colombia has invested in its coffee industry for decades and the spirit of innovation is strong with new coffee varieties and innovations in post-harvest processing emerging. As the world’s third largest producer of coffee, producing approximately 11 million sacks (70kgs) each year, the country benefits from elevated altitudes with good rainfall and hours of sunlight throughout the year. It is crossed from north to south by the mighty Andes Mountain range, which divides its coffee growing regions into three branches towards the south.

This coffee is cultivated in the central-western Colombia, stretching from the Western Cordillera Mountain range to the Pacific Ocean. The coffee in this area is grown mostly by indigenous communities. Geographically, the region has many features including the Popayan Plateau, many rivers, and the central volcanic mountain range which benefit from nutrient-rich soils and high elevations – perfect for high quality coffee production.

The majority of smallholder producers have very small plantations and use mixed farming techniques to diversify their income. The average age of a coffee grower in Colombia is 53 years-old, and there are now urgent national efforts to inspire the next generation of coffee producers.

PRODUCER

The women’s co-operative ASMUCAFE stands for Asociación de Mujeres Agropecuarias de Uribe, an organization of women farmers and landowners in El Tambo, a municipality within Cauca. Their mission is to improve their quality of life through coffee farming and to contribute positively to their community by working together and sharing resources, knowledge, and support: “Our work is determined by our values such as responsibility, honesty, commitment, respect, and solidarity”, they state. Once harvested, this mix of Castillo and Colombia varieties undergoes a double-fermentation process. First, the cherries are left in loading hoppers for fourteen hours, then they are de-pulped and placed into traditional open fermentation tanks for another ten hours. The parchment coffee is then washed clean before being dried either in parabolic dryers or in the sun for 8–12 days.

In attempt to recognize and promote the work women by growing and producing coffee around the world, the Women Coffee Producers project was established to support associations of women producers in various countries. The programme aims to address the widespread income inequity that women experience by adding a gender-equity premium on top of a base price; this premium is paid directly to the growers for use in any manner they choose.

ROAST

Sourced through our friends at Café Imports, we love this exceptionally well harvested and processed coffee from women producers in Colombia for its zesty citric acidity and mellow candy-like sweetness. We have developed this coffee gently in the roast to caramelise the sugars and accentuate the full round body that leaves a luxuriously rich, dark chocolatey note in the long-lasting finish. Perfect for espresso, as well as the full spectrum of brew methods.

For brewing recipes, please visit our BaseBrew page: https://web.basebrew.app/olisipo-coffee