Why does Colombia produce so much washed arabica coffee?

Colombia is the third-largest coffee producer globally and the biggest processor of washed arabica beans, with specialty-grade lots making up about 40 percent of exports. Coffee arrived in the 19th century: Don Mariano Ospina Rodriguez set up an experimental plantation in Fredonia, Antioquia, in 1835, and later published the country's first coffee cultivation textbook in 1880.

The National Federation of Coffee Growers was founded in 1927, and today main coffee producing regions include Huila, home to Finca El Divisa and its Sidra variety, which gained attention on the world barista championship stage. Colombian lots such as Rose Valley, Flower Moon Night and Big Belly are commonly brewed by pour-over on cafe menus.

Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee producer and the largest processor of washed Arabica, with specialty-grade beans making up as much as 40% of its exports. From Don Mariano Ospina Rodriguez's early experiments in the 19th century to the founding of the National Federation of Coffee Growers in 1927, Colombia's coffee industry has carved out a unique path of development. This article will trace the historical threads of Colombian coffee and the distribution of its main producing regions, with a focus on Finca El Diviso in the Huila region, as well as the Sidra variety that has drawn much attention in recent years—what exactly is the appeal of this coffee that once shone brightly on the world barista championship stage? Front Street Coffee has also brought in Sidra coffee beans from this estate, and the pour-over parameters will be shared below.

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Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee-producing country and also the largest processor of washed Arabica beans, with specialty-grade coffee currently accounting for 40% of its exports. On the menus of many cafés, Colombian coffee is almost never absent. Taking "Front Street" as an example, varieties such as Rose Valley, Flower Moon Night, Big Belly, Sidra, and Huila can all be brewed by pour-over.

Today, Front Street will start with the history of coffee cultivation in Colombia and take you on an online tour of this great specialty coffee country.

History of Colombian Coffee

According to Front Street's research, the introduction of coffee to Colombia dates back to the 19th century. Don Mariano Ospina Rodriguez was one of Colombia's earliest pioneers in coffee cultivation experiments.

In 1835, Don Mariano established a coffee experimental plantation in the city of Fredonia in the department of Antioquia. Drawing on his deep knowledge and experience in coffee cultivation, he began teaching and promoting coffee-growing techniques to local farmers.

In 1857, Don Mariano was successfully elected President of Colombia.

In 1879, the Colombian government passed the Coffee Act to promote the development of the coffee-growing industry.

In 1880, Don Mariano published the country's first textbook on coffee cultivation techniques, titled "Coffee Cultivation: Basic Concepts Every Farmer Can Master." Not long after, the price of Colombian coffee on the New York market climbed from 10.6 cents per pound in 1887 to 18.8 cents per pound in 1893.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Colombian government carried out land reform and provided support to small producers. Front Street believes that the success of Colombia's coffee industry today is inseparable from the marketing and promotion efforts of the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC).

In 1927, the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia was announced in Medellín. It is a union organization that brings together 560,000 coffee-producing families from 590 municipalities across 22 departments nationwide. The FNC's first chairman was none other than President Mariano's grandson—Luis Mariano Ospina Pérez. Under his leadership, the FNC successfully consolidated the domestic coffee industry and achieved tremendous success in the international market. Coffee thus rose to become Colombia's main export crop, completely transforming the country's economic landscape.

Colombian Coffee Producing Regions

Colombia is located in northern South America. On a map, its coffee-growing belt follows the Andes Mountains, extending from south to north, with producing regions mainly concentrated in the western part of the country. Because the growing areas span a wide range, different geographical conditions and climatic characteristics create varying coffee production cycles, so it can be said that Colombia harvests coffee year-round.

Colombian coffee is grown at high altitudes, between 1,000 and 2,500 meters. The complex terrain of the Andes brings rich microclimates, abundant rainfall, and an average annual temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius, providing ideal conditions for coffee tree growth—this is also the primary reason for the outstanding quality of Colombian coffee. About 30% to 40% of the country's rural population depends on coffee production for a living. Local agriculture is operated on a small-farm model, and coffee cultivation is no exception. Farms are usually only around two hectares in size, and farm owners take great care of the plants on their land, also planting tall trees or banana trees around the coffee trees to provide shade.

Geographically, Colombia's coffee-growing areas can be divided into three major regions: north, central, and south, with the highest-quality coffee beans mainly coming from the south. Below, Front Street will introduce several representative producing regions: Huila, Cauca, Nariño, and Santander.

A Representative Colombian Specialty Coffee Estate—Sidra

At the 2022 World Barista Championship, champion barista Anthony Douglas used Colombian Sidra coffee beans in the competition. Coincidentally, the 2019 World Barista Championship winner Jooyeon Jeon also chose Sidra coffee (though from Ecuador). This brought Sidra coffee into the public eye.

After reviewing the information, Front Street learned that Sidra coffee originally comes from Pichincha Province in Ecuador, where it is called Sydra. It is recorded that Sidra is a laboratory-cultivated variety, produced by crossing Typica with Red Bourbon. Later, genetic comparison revealed that Sidra shares similar genetic characteristics with Ethiopian native varieties, so some scholars speculate that Sidra may have been produced by crossing an experimental research variety exported from Ethiopia with a local Ecuadorian Bourbon coffee variety. At present, Sidra is mainly grown in Ecuador and Colombia.

After Anthony Douglas's exposure in the competition, people began looking for the coffee beans used by the champion barista. The Sidra coffee beans Anthony used came precisely from Finca El Diviso in Colombia's Huila region.

Where is Finca El Diviso?

Finca El Diviso is located in Huila, one of Colombia's most renowned coffee regions, at an altitude of about 2,100 meters and covering 14 hectares. This is a family-run coffee estate founded by Jose Uribe Lasso in 1996, and it now has more than 25 years of coffee-growing heritage.

At present, the estate is mainly managed by Nestor Lasso. He is young and full of drive. His grandfather introduced him to the vast world of coffee, and his father inherited the farm and demonstrated outstanding ability in cultivation. Influenced by his family, Nestor continually strives for improvement in coffee cultivation and processing. Twelve varieties are grown on the estate, including Caturra, Colombia, Sidra, Castillo, Geisha, and Bourbon.

Nestor's family manages the estate together, and the quality of the coffee beans has continued to improve, bringing Nestor greater returns as well. They successfully established a larger new farm, growing and producing higher-quality coffee beans, steadily advancing toward the goal of becoming a great estate. For Nestor, Finca El Diviso is a lucky new starting point. He believes that the land in Huila is extremely fertile, and that anyone who works hard can escape poverty by growing coffee in this nutrient-rich soil.

What are the characteristics of Front Street's Sidra coffee?

Although genetic testing shows that Sidra has a genetic connection to Ethiopian coffee varieties, it is currently mainly grown in Colombia and Ecuador, at altitudes between 1,650 and 1,800 meters. In addition, some origins also cultivate small amounts of Sidra on a limited scale for experimental purposes.

The Sidra plant has a thick trunk and can grow up to 4 meters tall. It requires appropriate shade when planted and is immune to many pests, but it is susceptible to leaf rust and coffee berry disease. The leaves are slender, and the flowers have five petals. The fruit set is dense and the yield is quite high, with cherries larger and rounder than most Arabica varieties. The green beans are slender and elongated, somewhat similar in appearance to Geisha.

Because Sidra is still grown in relatively small quantities and has floral and fruity characteristics comparable to Geisha, displaying flavors of peach, citrus, grape, and honey, with moderate acidity and a round mouthfeel, its price is also relatively high.

Front Street has also brought in Sidra coffee beans from Finca El Diviso. These beans use a double anaerobic washed process, highlighting the coffee's rich acidity. Front Street roasts them at a medium-light level, and the cupping flavor shows rich fruit notes such as apricot, citrus, and grape.

Front Street Sidra Coffee Bean Pour-Over Parameters

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Water temperature: 91 degrees

Grind size: medium-fine grind (80% passing through a No. 20 sieve)

Pouring method: three-stage

In the first stage, pour 30ml of water and let it bloom for 30 seconds. In the second stage, pour 120ml of water in a circular motion with a slow stream. When the water level drops to the halfway point, in the third stage pour another 90ml in a circular motion with a slow stream. The extraction time is 2 minutes.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.