Colombia has earned a worldwide reputation for excellence in the production of quality coffee. The country's Andean mountains, with their ideal climate and fertile soil, provide a perfect environment for growing top-quality Arabica coffee. Regions such as Huila, Quindío, Antioquia and Cauca are known for their coffee with a complex profile and distinctive flavor.

Colombian coffee is characterized by its delicate notes, a smooth body and a rich and balanced aroma. Colombian coffees are often described as floral, with notes of sweet, citrus fruits and a slight hint of nuts. In addition, sustainable agricultural practice and commitment to quality have made Colombian coffee a benchmark for coffee lovers around the world.

Coffee is not only a vital source of income for thousands of Colombian families, but it is also a fundamental part of the culture and national identity. The traditional “toma del café” is an important social practice that fosters coexistence and community, reflecting Colombians’ passion and pride for their exceptional quality coffee.

Region of Huila

The department of Huila is a privileged area for coffee production thanks to its strategic geographical location. In particular, the south of Huila is located in a favorable climatic zone for the production of specialty coffees.
90% of our decaf comes from the southern area, mostly from
municipality of Pitalito.

The beans selected for decaffeination are high-altitude coffees from small coffee growers, especially from Pitalito. They are also fresh coffees from the current harvest, which is why our decaffeinated coffee is characterized by its sweetness, cleanliness and acidity provided by the region's microclimate.

(**) Swiss Water decaffeination process

Not all decaffeinated coffee can be said to have been produced without chemicals. The Swiss Water decaffeination process uses water and coal to extract the caffeine from the green coffee bean. 

Green coffee beans are washed and pre-soaked using only water, which hydrates them and prepares them for caffeine extraction.

The basics of the delicate caffeine removal process are to use a green coffee extract (ECV) and an exclusive carbon filter system. ECV is supersaturated water with the soluble components of coffee with the exception of caffeine. The grains are kept in extraction tanks where the ECV flows over them. Looking for balance, by osmosis, caffeine begins to move from coffee beans to ECV.

By controlling time, temperature and flow, the passage of grain caffeine to the ECV is controlled. The result is a clean extraction process in which only the caffeine is removed, leaving as intact as possible the characteristics of the coffee flavor according to its origin.

ECV, saturated with caffeine, flows into the carbon filters, which only trap the caffeine. This is a continuous process in which the ECV circulates again from the carbon filters to the extraction columns until the coffee beans are 99,9% free of caffeine. This process takes approximately 8 to 10 hours.

Once the beans are decaffeinated, they are removed from the tanks, dried, packaged, labeled and ready to be roasted.

After each decaffeination with the Swiss Water ® process, a sample of caffeinated green coffee is roasted and tasted simultaneously with the original green coffee beans.

Font:

swisswater.com