Colombian Decaf, La Serrania, was sourced via Caravela.
Huila province Colombia
Colombia is recognised throughout the world as the largest producer of quality Arabica coffee. Over the last decade, the Huila department (province) of Colombia has shown that it can produce great quantity and great quality coffee. Now this famous area has a great Decaf, a coffee that is worth drinking.
Natural Decaf
The method used to decaffeinate this coffee is called a natural process. Natural because it uses ethyl acetate (EA) derived 100% from sugar cane mixed with mountain water. Together, these remove 99.7% of the caffeine present. The beauty of the Natural EA process is that it helps preserve most of the original flavours of the coffee, while adding fruity notes and some complexity to the cup.
Add to this that the process is also performed at origin, rather than using labs in Germany or Switzerland.
Descafecol, located in Manizales, Caldas, has been using the process for 3 decades and the result has been a far fruitier and more enjoyable coffee.
La Serrania
Virmax now Caravela, who are wildly regarded as one of the top players in the premier Colombian coffee market, helped us source this Colombian Decaf, La Serrania. A small collection of growers in southern Huila (same area that Los Idolos comes from) contribute to La Serrania. The coffee is first processed using a traditional wet process and then once fully dried it is sent to Descafecol to be decaffeinated.
The process ensures that the coffee’s complexity stays relatively intact and not “burnt” off like what happens using the synthetic methods.
Colombian Decaf, La Serrania Details
Colombian Decaf, La Serrania is rated as a specialty grade coffee, on its own. So, it is good to drink even if you are not concerned about the caffeine in coffee. The coffee is medium bodied with fruit and spice notes and subtle wine like acidity.
- Shade: Semi-shaded with plantain and Nogal trees.
- Harvest:
- Main: October – December.
- Mitaca (fly): May – July.
Our brews:
| Brew Method | Ratio | Brew Method | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1:2.4 | AeroPress | 17g:200g | |
| Plunger | 48g:800g | Pour over/filter | 19g:300g |
Transparency Information
| Sourced from | Caravela |
|---|---|
| FOB price | US$5.50/pound |
| Cupping score | 84.5-85.5 (seasonal variances, this is the min and max) |
| Logistics | Cost ZA173.10 / kg. Coffee had to be flown in as we could not consolidate it with our other Colombian coffees. |
| Producer/Organisation | Caravela / La Serrania |
| Typical lot size bought | 2 x 70kg bags. |
| Relationship | Our relationship with Caravela goes back to 2008. |
Jordan –
Superb decaf coffee. It is complex, well balanced, and finishes smooth. Delicious cherry hints. I highly recommend!
Karl Möller (verified owner) –
Let’s just say that my wife did not believe that this was decaf. Excellent.
Warren Machanik –
Thanks for the review. We love this decaf too.