Colombia Reinaldo Parra 'Las Pinas' Washed Espresso - Single Origin.

Las Pinas is ‘pineapple’ in Spanish, & is the name given to the small farm where this lot comes from. The small community of China Alta is nearby, surrounded by rugged mountainous landscape, and known for the Rio La China; a river that runs through the area; and also used as a resource for coffee.

Reinaldo is an influential coffee producer in the China Alta region, with many of his neighbours looking to him for advice and guidance. His farmland includes two very steep slopes, with his home, micro-beneficio (mill) and drying beds sitting between them. Reinaldo has chosen to plant the Caturra variety, which yields well at the high elevations of China Alta and also has a sweet and elegant cup quality.

This lot was selectively hand-harvested, with most labour being provided by Reinaldo and his family. During peak harvest, the family hires local labourers to help harvest the coffee cherry, who are paid on per kilogram or on a daily rate when there isn’t much coffee to harvest.

The coffee was hand pulped, and then placed into a fermentation tank. Because of the cooler climate in China Alta, producers like Reinaldo tend to ferment the coffees for longer than usual and will often blend several days worth of pickings over a 2-3 day period. Everyday freshly picked cherry is pulped and added to the mix, which lowers the pH level and – along with the cooler temperatures – allows for an extended fermentation process. 

PROCESS: WASHED

REGION: CHINA ALTA, IBAGUE, TOLIMA

ELEVATION: 1900

VARIETAL: CATURRA

CUP: STONEFRUIT, COOKED CITRUS & SUGARCANE

ROAST: ESPRESSO