Francy Castillo, Colombia – Pink Bourbon, Washed

Department: Nariño 

Municipality: Arboleda

Farm: El Ubérrimo

Altitude: 2,118 masl.

We paid: $39.07 CAD / kg

This coffee, alongside Francy's field blend, is easily one of our favourite coffees of the year.  It exhibits all of the fantastic qualities that the pink bourbon variety has to offer. It is exceptionally bright and sweet, with an articulate candy-like fruitiness. At El Ubérrimo (Francy’s farm), sustainable farming methods are leveraged to preserve soil microbial life, with practices such as cover cropping and mulching being favoured over the use of agrochemicals.

This lot’s character stems from its deliberately late harvest, which allows the cherries to overripen for approximately 25 days until the surface reaches an intense pink colour. After harvesting, the cherries undergo a 60-hour dry fermentation in a cool and clean environment. Prior to pulping, the cherries are sorted through flotation, sieved, and placed in tanks for a second waterless fermentation for about 2 to 3 days. After the target is met for temperature and sugar (Brix) levels, the coffee is rested for an additional 4 hours before a single rinse. Drying begins under tarps at the farm for 2 days, continues in a mechanical dryer for approximately 18 days, and finishes under tarps until the optimal moisture content is achieved.

Photo courtesy of Apex Coffee Imports