In the morning we flew from Bogotá to Pereira and went to the coffee region of Colombia. We settled in Sazagua and walked the colorful streets of Salento. This small town between the mountains captivated us from the very first moment with its wooden balconies and vibrant colors.
We watched the journey of coffee from bean to cup at the El Ocaso coffee farm. We saw the green and red fruits on the branch; we listened to the stages of collecting, sorting, drying and roasting. We realized that good coffee depends not only on the right bean, but also on altitude, soil, rain and a great deal of human effort.
Colombian coffee is one of the symbols of the country in the world. But here, before coffee is an export product, it is a source of income for families and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. The coffee we drank at Jesús Martín was no longer just a good taste, but a cup that reminded us of this whole journey.
The homeland of coffee is Ethiopia. According to the most famous story, a shepherd noticed that his goats became extraordinarily active after eating red fruits. At first he doesn't like the fruits and throws them into the fire; the story of coffee begins when the smell of roasting beans spreads. It's a nice story, but it's not a historical record; A legend told about the discovery of coffee.
So what makes Colombian coffee so special?
First of all, the climate. Since Colombia is close to the equator, the temperature does not vary greatly throughout the year. The Andes Mountains create different altitudes, microclimates and rainfall patterns within the same country. The combination of soil, temperature and altitude creates very favorable conditions for coffee.
The two most grown coffee species in the world are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is a more elegant, aromatic coffee with a pronounced acidity; Robusta, on the other hand, is harder and has higher caffeine. Colombian coffee is almost entirely Arabica. It is not possible to use machinery in many farms due to the steep slopes of the mountains. As the coffee fruits ripen, they are picked by hand, one by one. This requires both great effort and selectivity.
Mineral-rich soils around volcanic mountains also nourish coffee. It's no coincidence that everything along the road is green; rain, sun, altitude and soil structure work together.
The white flower of the coffee tree, which resembles jasmine, is called "azahar". Over time, a coffee fruit forms in the place of each flower. Flowering requires rain followed by sun. Thanks to rainfall patterns in different regions of Colombia, in many places two harvests can be made a year, one main and the other smaller. It is possible to see the flower, green fruit and ripe red coffee cherry all together on the same branch.
Behind a cup of coffee; There is altitude, rain, volcanic soil, hand picking and months of labor. This was partly the reason why our perspective on coffee changed after El Ocaso.