COLOMBIA Decaf (MAY 23)

Tolima, Colombia has been known more for violence in recent decades than specialty coffee. That narrative is changing with the dedicated work of producer groups like ASOPEP which has, against all odds, become one of the most professionalized cooperatives in the region offering consistent, world-class coffees year after year. Not content with just producing excellent coffee, ASOPEP is also a force for good in the region. This coffee was purchased using Verified Living Income benchmark which ensures that coffee producers were paid a fair, sustainable wage. In an effort to continue evolving our relationship with ASOPEP we are now offering this 100% women-produced ethyl acetate decaffeinated lot from the cooperative.

Impact:

Through Tip the Farmer™, ASOPEP received $3,000 and utilized these funds to purchase Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers in their municipality and launched campaigns to help mitigate the risk of spread of COVID-19.

Flavor profile 

The ASOPEP cooperative produces some of our favorite coffees and we are excited to be able to offer a remarkable decaf from them as well. This coffee is decaffeinated using the ethyl acetate method, wherein beans are steamed to open up the pores and then rinsed using a naturally derived ethyl acetate wash, extracting the caffeine in the process. EA processed decaffeinated coffees tend to exhibit more sweetness and clarity than other processes and this coffee is no exception. Lighter roast styles produced notes of orange marmalade, nougat, and maple with a syrupy body and mellow acidity. With darker roasts the body became heavier and sugars further caramelized, exhibiting notes of marzipan, toasted hazelnut, dark chocolate, and molasses.