THE ORIGIN REPORT
Colombia El Vergel "Guava Banana"
Region: Tolima
Elevation: 1350 MASL
Producer: El Vergel Estate
Varietal: Red and Yellow Caturra
Process: Lactic Natural
This Red & Yellow Caturra is one of the flagship coffees produced at EL VERGEL, located in the micro-lot next to the washing station, and surrounded by Guava trees, this coffee profile has been one of the most intense and fruity coffees developed by the estate. Planted in 2016 & 2018 with a quantity of more than 40.000 plants, this lot has been one of the best of the estate to experiment with processing bigger lots. Processed with a unique method at the estate that consists of a special anaerobic 2 step anaerobic fermentation to develop a more intense but clean profile, to showcase all the attributes of the variety combined with flavors unique from the process, which is then dried at the sun for 15 to 25 days.
What is the Lactic Natural Process? Lactic fermentation allows for the growth of lactic acid bacteria under anaerobic conditions with constant measurement of oxygen level, sugar content, and pH. The bacteria feed on sugar present in the coffee's mucilage, generating a high concentration of lactic acid. After reaching the desired pH, the coffee is soaked in clean water to stop the growth of bacteria and dried on raised beds. This coffee in particular was processed through an anaerobic controlled temperature fermentation for 48 to 60 hours taking close control to the ph levels, followed by an intermittent drying process of a series of stalls in different moisture levels to enhance complexity, and finished in silos to obtain accurate moisture of the beans and then stabilized for 45 days to homogenize the beans and promote complexity to the profile.
