Colombia Buenos Aires Castillo Carbonic Maceration Natural (green)

Description

Location: Armenia, Quindio

Altitude: 1400-1450 masl

Annual rainfall: 1900-2200mm

Arabica varietal: Castillo

Soil: Volcanic Ash

Process: Carbonic Maceration Natural

Grower: Jairo Arcila

Producer: Cofinet at La Pradera washing station

In the cup: Red wine, red apple, raisins and chocolate

This lot was processed using a dry anaerobic fermentation method for 24hours. It was then placed in Grainpro bags and for 60 hours maintaining a temperature of 22 deg by placing the coffee inside a water tank with CO2. The coffee was then dried on raised bed to achieve the desired moisture content.

This microlot is 100% Castillo. Castillo was developed by Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros. It is more productive than Caturra and resistant to coffee leaf rust.

Jairo Arcila is a third generation coffee grower in Quindio, Colombia. Married to Luz Helena Salazar they had two children together: Carlos and Felipe Arcila, the co-founders of Cofinet. Jairo’s first job was at Colombia’s second-largest exporter as their Mill Manager. And continued to work there for over 40 years until his retirement in 2019.

Jairo bought his first coffee farm, Finca La Esmeralda in 1987, where he planted his first Caturra lot.  He was fortunate enough to earn money by producing coffee while also working full time for the local exporter. Using his savings Jairo slowly managed to purchase five additional farms. First Villarazo, then Mazatlan, Santa Monica, Maracay and Buenos Aires.

Coffee production was incredibly profitable until 2005, when Jairo noticed a downturn and began converting his farms to grow avocado, banana, plantain and oranges. With the rise of specialty coffee, Jairo has decided to give growing coffee another chance.

In 2014, Jairo leased his brother’s farm, Finca Castellon to plant gesha trees. Becoming one of two farmers to grow the variety in the region at the time. After the success of his Gesha after the first harvest, Jairo decided to plant more exotic varieties like Pink Bourbon and Tabi at his farm Finca Villarazo. And has recently planted 3000 Java trees.

He has planted native tree species in Santa Monica, Castellon and Bueno Aires, which creates shade, better soil quality and protection for Geshas, Tabis and Javas planted at altitudes below 1500MASL.

Jairo Arcila has been a part of Cofinet from the very beginning. Listening to his sons’ expertise in picking practices, sorting and processing of coffee cherries. He has been able to showcase fantastic coffees with amazing profiles of the region, through alternative processing. He has 50 people working for him during harvest season.