KB Colombia El Diviso Sidra Whole Bean

8.8oz / 250g Whole Bean
Notes: Red Fruit Candy, Rhubarb, Cherry, Floral, Tropical Fruit, Juicy
Region: Huila, Pitalito
Producer: Nestor and Adrian Lasso, El Diviso
Varietal: Sidra
Process: Anaerobic Natural Thermal Shock
Elevation: 1850 m
 
From KB:
 
"Five years ago, Nestor Lasso and his brother Adrian took over the family farm and branched out into specialty coffee and experimentation rather than growing coffee like their parents.
 
Today, at 22 and 24, the two brothers have joined forces with Jhoan Vergara, also the child of a coffee farmer, to create El Diviso.
 
El Diviso brings together the two-family farms El Diviso (Nestor and Adrian Lasso) and Las Flores (Jhoan Vergara), near the town of Pitalito, in the Huila region of Colombia. This partnership was fantastic because these three young people combined their knowledge to improve quality.
 
Then, 3 years ago, Cat & Pierre, founders of CATA Export and the 3 producers began a journey of trial and error to define the fermentation processes and protocols on the farm, with the aim of connecting these coffees directly to the UK market.
 
This learning process took time and money, but with an exciting result, as today these coffees have been used in numerous barista competitions across Europe. They recently won 1st place at the Brewers Cup in Ireland and 3rd in Austria.
 
NESTOR'S WORDS  :
"I grew up in a vereda (town, editor's note) called Normandia, near the town of Pitalito, in the south of the Huila region.
I grew up on a farm, and for as long as I can remember, the area has always been a coffee-growing area.
 
I had a very healthy childhood here; everyone knows each other, and it's safe. My childhood memories are of playing in nature, playing hide-and-seek, and I've always been super happy to be here.
 
Generally, being a coffee farmer is poorly paid and not very attractive. The only thing that keeps farmers from starving is eating the fruits and vegetables produced on the farm.
 
When it comes to material goods, we only have access to the bare necessities. Many young people therefore prefer to move to the city to find an office job or a less physically demanding job because they believe the coffee isn't worth it.
Beyond the economic benefits of specialty coffee, I've always had a passion for production. When I realized that specialty coffee offered a real opportunity for economic development, and that I could also develop my knowledge of coffee production, particularly the processes, I really got started.
 
I more or less understand how the market works thanks to the close partnership we have with Cat and Pierre, but social media also allows us to see who buys our coffees. They also allow us to see how specialty coffees are marketed in Europe.
Cat told me about the importance of the sensory aspect of the business and encouraged me to learn about the cup to control the quality of what is produced and understand the impact of the processes and whether or not they improve in the cup.
 
We must not forget that the price of coffee is very high at the moment, which is why many producers want to know how we work, but we quickly identify people who are really motivated to produce specialty coffee, who come to us with questions to learn with us and those who only see it as a temporary opportunity to earn money.
 
What really makes the difference is the passion the producer has for coffee. If you're not naturally passionate, you'll never make it!
 
Often, some coffee producers here have a lot of money because they have a lot of land and the best possible machinery. But specialty coffees don't interest them; they don't see the point in changing because they're not as passionate about coffee as we are.
 
I've noticed that specialty coffee consumption has changed a lot in the country in recent years. Until recently, Colombians only drank coffee by-products, anything that couldn't be exported. But here, people have realized that coffee is a much more noble product than it seems. Many producers now keep part of their harvest to roast themselves and drink at home. The whole specialty coffee craze has really brought a different way of looking at coffee."
 
THE PROCESS: 
● STEP 1. THE NATURAL SIDRA PROCESS BEGINS WITH A HARVEST AT OPTIMAL RIPENESS - WITH A FEW DEGREES OF BRIX THAT FLOAT BETWEEN 24 AND 26 DEGREES.
● STEP 2. THE CHERRIES ARE OXIDIZED FOR 12 HOURS AT A MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 25°C.
● STEP 3. THE CHERRIES UNDERGO AN ANAEROBIC PROCESS IN A PLASTIC BAG OR TANK FOR 50 HOURS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 16-18°C.
● STEP 4. THE CHERRIES ARE THEN PLACED IN AN OPEN-AIR TANK FOR A SECOND STAGE OF OXIDATION FOR 20 HOURS, AT A MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 42°C
● STEP 5. THE CHERRIES ARE THEN PLACED IN BAGS CALIBRATED AT 50 KG EACH FOR A SECOND ANAEROBIC PROCESS FOR 30 HOURS AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 16 AND 20°C
● STEP 6. The cherries are then placed in larger tanks to undergo fertilization submerged in water at 45°C mixed with coffee wort (juice or extract produced during oxidation) from the previous harvest. The mixture of water and wort is circulated for 18 hours.
● STEP 7. THE CHERRIES ARE THEN PLACED IN A MARQUESINA TO START THE DRYING PROCESS. AND ONLY THEN ARE THEY PUT BACK INTO THE MARQUESINAS TO COMPLETE THE DRYING PROCESS UNTIL THEY REACH 11% MOISTURE CONTENT.
● STEP 8. WHEN THE MOISTURE CONTENT REACHES 18%, THE CHERRIES ARE REMOVED, PUT INTO BLACK PLASTIC BAGS AND STORED FOR 60 HOURS IN A DARK ROOM TO REST.
● STEP 9. THE CHERRIES ARE THEN PLACED BACK IN THE MARQUESINAS TO COMPLETE THE DRYING PROCESS UNTIL THEY REACH 11% MOISTURE CONTENT"