It's another freakin nuts Colombia! People are going crazy for Jorge's stuff, so we're getting back on the wagon.
I tried to go visit Jorge when I was over in Antioquia. It seemed like it was all set with driver and translator organised by Jonny at Micafe - we we're gassed. The trip got cancelled at the last minute because of Guerrilla violence in the area. I got sent a bunch of photos of blown up cars on the road we were meant to be travelling on the next day and it was generally agreed that it wasn't a great idea. It's weird with that sort of thing in Colombia... tourism is well established and in some areas they really make a thing out of Paramilitaries, Guerrilla factions and drug wars being a thing of the past, then you leave that bubble and realise things are still bubblin. Che's dream was to gain equality and freedom from Imperialist commodity monopolies through guerrilla action in Latin America, it's an offshoot of one of his guerrilla groups that stopped this gringo from buying a load expensive coffees that day. Not sure if there's irony in that or not.
It's pretty messed up to think that people's lives are impacted by these forces still, and it's definitely not uncommon to have business affected in such areas still. Knowing how much that shit can frustrate operations it's all the more amazing that these guys can make such names for themselves in our corner of the world.
Processing
1. Harvesting: This is carried out ensuring a minimum of 90% ripe cherry.
2. Floating: This ensures the removal of green, overripe, and dry cherries.
3. Oxidation: This is done in food-grade plastic drums for 24 hours.
4. Pulping: The cherries are pulped dry.
5. Oxidation after pulping: For 24 hours in order to remove the mucilage. The
coffee is then washed at temperatures of 45°C, creating a thermal shock.
6. Fermentation: For 62 hours at temperatures below 25°C with specific yeast.
7. Fermentation completion: After 62 hours, the coffee is washed at
temperatures of 5°C to seal the fermentation.
8. Drying: After the 62 hours of fermentation, the coffee goes into drying, which
is carried out for 76 hours at average temperatures of 40°C.
9. Stabilisation: This is done in grainpro-type bags.
El Jaragual
El Jaragual, spanning 150 hectares, is a family-operated farm overseen by Jorge Mira. Located at an elevation of 1500 MASL in Amalfi, Antioquia, Colombia, the farm is perfectly positioned in the northern area of the central Colombian Andes. This location is superb for cultivating premium coffee.
A significant portion of El Jaragual is dedicated to forestry, leveraging Jorge's background as a forestry engineer. The farm features a blend of pine tree plantations aimed at sustainable timber production, alongside conserved areas of native forest.
Currently, we cultivate seven coffee varieties at El Jaragual, shaded by plantain trees and other native agroforestry species , ranging from traditional varieties like Castillo/Colombia to exotic types such as Pink Bourbon and Gesha. Plans are underway to introduce new varieties this year, including Typica Mejorado and Sidra.
The coffee processing methods employed at El Jaragual are refined, involving extended fermentation phases with yeast inoculation and temperature adjustments, such as warm water rinses and cool water quenches, to enhance and stabilise the aromatic qualities developed during fermentation. This represents a thoughtful balance between traditional and modern processing techniques.
