Arrived February 10th 2021 to Calgary Warehouse in Calgary, AB
Forward has purchased 10 x 35kg bags of N&C Lot 05 'Bio-innovation' Washed Caturra from La Palma y El Tucan and producer by Diego Lopez
One (1) bag has been booked by Sorellina Coffee in Edmonton, Alberta.
The coffee trees at La Palma y El Tucan's (LPET) are surrounded by a vast ecosystem of plant life growing in harmony. This concept was designed by LPET founder, Felipe Sardi, after pursuing his Master's in Permaculture. He theorized that he could remove many of the coffee trees, rotate in other crops that would fix elements in the soil, and still have a comparable-sized harvest. He has been successful in his endeavor and has drastically changed the landscape within Cundinamarca, by sharing this program through the unbelievable Neighbours & Crops project.
This lot comes from the LPET Neighbours & Crops program, which is a community program, empowering and activating nearby coffee producing families. It's a powerful business model that positively impacts the community in many different ways.
LPET has a team called the Elite Picker Squad. This team is constantly monitoring the progress of the coffee plants throughout their farm as well as the N&C program. They focus on pruning, fertilizing, applying compost (made organically at LPET), and harvesting the cherry. This intense level of detail ensures maximum expression of the coffees harvested and premium dollar to go back and support each of the neighboring families. They're able to also focus their efforts of other crops and projects through the security of the N&C program.
This specific coffee comes from Faustino Reyes and is lot 10 of the 2021 season. It's processed in a state-of-the-art technique known as 'bio-innovation'. Through the bio-innovation process, LPET honours the main principles of organic farming, by capturing and reproducing microorganisms found within the farm, to inoculate the coffee and drive the flavours utilizing their terroir. Fermented as whole cherry for 116 hours in sealed, ceramic pots inoculated with local yeasts, then pulped and fermented an additional 25 hours with mucilage, in traditional open air ceramic tanks. Followed by 25 days in shaded raised beds which are both temperature and humidity controlled, and 72 hours in mechanical drier.
This is one of the most sustainable and impressive models we've seen to date in the coffee industry.
The profile of this coffee reminds us of Sprite, with complex citrus acidity, touching lemon, lime, mandarin and grapefruit, with an effervescent quality. There's florals and fruits that back up the citrus, suchas watermelon, raspberry and maybe even a bubblegum sort of vibe. The body is full, the finish is long and it remains balanced.
For the full collection of La Palma y El Tucan coffees, available through Forward, please follow this link here. You'll find Estate and Varietals, as well as Neighbours and Crops.
Variety: Caturra
Price Forward paid per kilogram: $18.04 USD FOB
Process: Bio-innovation lot 05
Total kilos available: 10 x 35kg
Harvest date: May 2021
Fermentation: Fermented as whole cherry for 116 hours in sealed, ceramic pots inoculated with local yeasts, then pulped and fermented an additional 25 hours with mucilage, in traditional open air ceramic tanks.
Drying time: 25 days in raised beds, followed by 72 hours in a mechanical silo
Drying temperature: 32 °C Max. - 16 °C Min.
Altitude: 1800 masl
Region: Zipacon, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Rainfall: 1300 mm/year
Humidity: 80 %