Colombia | Popayán | Castillo Caturra Washed | Sugarcane EA Decaf

SCA CUPPING SCORE: 80+
Suitable with Milk? YES
Roast Level: Medium Dark
AGTRON: 49
PROCESSING: Washed

Dose - 18g
Yield - 38g
Time : 26-30sec

Popayán, situated in the department of Cauca at an elevation of 1,700 m.a.s.l., benefits from an ideal topography for cultivating exceptional coffee. Popayán is sheltered by the Andes mountain range, creating consistent climatic and altitudinal conditions. These factors contribute to the development of coffee beans with sweet and citrus profiles.

Following the careful selection of coffee cherries, these are then de-pulped and thoroughly washed to completely remove the mucilage. Afetrward, the coffee is spread out on raised beds for 5-7 days until reaching the ideal moisture content. This method ensures the preservation of the coffee's unique flavors and characteristics.

Decaff process by DESCAFECOL

The decaffeination process used by DESCAFECOL is unique and focuses on preserving the natural qualities of coffee. The method involves using sugar cane Ethyl Acetate (EA) and water, which enhances the sweetness of the coffee while maintaining its original attributes. Initially, green coffee beans are placed in a steam chamber to remove the silver skin. They are then submerged in spring water, and as soon as the beans are saturated, they are sent to extractors. Here, the beans are exposed to sugar cane ethyl acetate for eight hours to dissolve the caffeine content.

This method is notable for its use of natural EA, derived from the sugar cane industry in Palmira, Colombia. Since EA is naturally present in coffee beans, no foreign substances are introduced. The combination of spring water and natural EA in the caffeine extraction process helps retain the natural structure of the coffee bean cells by avoiding excessive heat and pressure. This results in decaffeinated coffee that maintains excellent aroma and taste, suitable for perfect roasting.

The decaffeination process at DESCAFECOL is FDA approved, ensuring that the residual EA in the coffee is kept below 5 parts per million (ppm), well under the international limit of 20 ppm. Furthermore, any residual EA evaporates during the roasting process, which occurs at around 200°C, leaving no trace of the solvent. The entire process restores the moisture content of the decaffeinated beans to a maximum of 12%, effectively removing 97% of the caffeine, which meets the American norm.

In addition to the extraction process, the coffee beans undergo several post-treatment steps. After the caffeine extraction, residual EA is removed using low-pressure saturated steam. The beans are then dried in vacuum drying drums to adjust the final humidity between 10% and 12%. Once cooled to ambient temperature using air fans, the beans are polished with carnauba wax to enhance their appearance and protect against environmental humidity. Finally, the polished coffee is packed in 70 kg jute bags, ready for distribution.

Coffee in Colombia

Colombia has been producing and exporting coffee renowned for their full body, bright acidity and rich aftertaste, since the early 19th century.

Colombia boasts a wide range of climates and geographic conditions that, in turn, produce their own unique flavors in coffee. This also means that harvest times can vary quite a bit. In fact, between all its different regions, Colombia produces fresh crop nearly all year round.

The increasing focus on the specialty industry is changing the way traders and farmers do business. It is becoming more common for farmers to isolate the highest quality beans in their lots to market separately. These higher-quality lots are often sold under specific brands or stories.

Besides its wide variety of cup profiles, Colombia has quickly expanded its certification options over the past 10 years. The most common certifications available are Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Organic.