El Recreo, Colombia

EL Recreo, Alirio Rodriguez Caturron FW

Land: Colombia

Gård:  Finca El Recreo

Varietet: Caturron

Prosess: Vasket

Høyde over havet: 1,550 m.o.h.

From the importer

Alirio Rodriguez has been producing coffee for more than 30 years. He’s a third-generation coffee producer and, at the age of 15, he bought his farm, Finca El Recreo. Today, he is focused on achieving high coffee quality and sustainable prices. He is joined by two of his adult children who work with him on the farm.

Alirio transitioned to specialty coffee in 2018. He made the switch because of the low prices of commercial coffee and the desire to improve and expand his coffee production.

The Caturron variety is a relatively new variety from Acevedo, Colombia that's virtually unknown outside of that region. Its exact genetic lineage is currently unknown, but the variety is fast becoming recognized for its distinctive flavor and large cherry. Caturron is also resistant to coffee leaf rust and has relatively high yields.

Cultivation

One of the biggest challenges Alirio faces is climate change and its effect on flowering and harvest. He’s also struggling with the high costs of inputs. As he strives to improve coffee quality, he’s planning to invest in a large mechanical dryer that would make drying more consistent and controllable.

Harvest & post harvest

Alirio handpicks ripe, red cherry and processes it on his farm. He pulps, ferments and then washes parchment in clean water. He lays parchment on raised beds to dry, raking parchment frequently to ensure even drying.