So, a very rare thing has happened. We’ve introduced a new producer to the network from which we buy in Colombia. Also rarely for us, Hugo is not attached to any of the existing groups we buy from, he’s a diamond in the rough, a solo operator. We are so heartened to have met Hugo, and grateful for the mutual friend who introduced us.Why do we like this man so much? He synthesizes in his practices an equal focus on ecology and quality; he’s on the way to becoming master of his craft (cupping his coffee and devleoping his palate every week at the local buying point/specialty coffee lab); he’s enthusiastic, organised and diligent in his farm management; and, pressed for space (coz the list could go on) ; he CHOOSE coffee. All of these things are much rarer than one might think. (At least thats what our experience shows.)

A third generation coffee farmer (ex Tolima), Hugo farms orange and pink borbon on his 4 hectare farm in San Adolfo, which is regarded as the true origin of pink borbon as we know it. He’s also planting ombligon, and some panamanian gesha seeds we smuggled him.  We sampled his pink borbon (which he harvested in November and had been keeping carefully sealed in grainpro bags in the mini bodega at his house) in December, and again in January this year. We think this coffee is peaking now!

As with all good processing protocols, Hugo starts by selecting only ripe cherry (picked often by himself, his family and his neighbours), and stores in a cool spot for an overnight fermentation in cherry. After depulping he ferments in drums (without water added) until the coffee’s ready to wash, in the range of 24-36 hours. His dryer is situated on the roof of his house.

With his coffee, we taste excellent seed provenance, slow maturation (shade trees and reduced soil temperatures because of lush and carefully selected and cultivated ground cover), ripe cherry, a clean fermentation, and gentle (but not too gentle) drying.