How Do Coffee Beans Grow on Coffee Trees in Colombia?
Colombian coffee trees grow mainly in the high-altitude Andes Mountains, where the mild, spring-like climate supports slow cherry development. The terrain there is too steep for machinery, so all cherries are picked by hand. Washed processing is common, but in recent years anaerobic fermentation has become a popular alternative for producing distinctive, fruit-forward lots.
Two representative Colombian beans using anaerobic fermentation are Rose Valley and Flower Moon Night, which differ in variety, processing and flavor. Everyday washed lots, such as the Huila bean, show the country's classic nutty and chocolate notes. Comparing these coffees from variety, method and brewing parameters helps clarify how much processing shapes the final cup.
Colombia is located in the northwest of South America, with a mild, spring-like climate that provides an excellent growing environment for coffee trees. The country is an important producer of high-quality coffee worldwide, with beans mostly grown in the high-altitude regions of the Andes Mountains, requiring manual harvesting, and washed processing being relatively common. In recent years, special processing methods such as anaerobic fermentation have gradually become popular, and Front Street Coffee has also launched two representative beans, Rose Valley and Flower Moon Night. This article will compare the differences between these two Colombian coffees from the perspectives of variety, processing method, flavor performance, and brewing parameters, and introduce the characteristics of Front Street Huila, Isabella, and other everyday beans, helping enthusiasts understand the diversity of Colombian coffee more systematically.
Colombia is located in the northwest corner of the South American continent, with a mild climate and spring-like weather year-round. Such natural conditions are not only livable but also extremely suitable for coffee tree growth. Front Street Colombian coffee exudes a soft and elegant aroma. It is not as heavy as Brazilian beans, nor does it have the obvious acidity of African beans, but rather carries a sweet finish like dark chocolate, which is why it is often called the "coffee gentleman."
Colombia is one of the most important producers of high-quality coffee in the world. Coffee is mostly planted around the Andes Mountains at relatively high altitudes, where machinery is difficult to operate, so all harvesting is done manually. Unlike Brazil, Front Street Colombian coffee beans are mainly washed processed. Among the seven everyday beans launched by Front Street, there is one from Huila, a well-known specialty region in Colombia, which uses the locally common washed method. This Huila everyday bean presents Colombia's classic rich nutty and chocolate notes.
In recent years, various producing countries have continuously experimented with innovations in traditional green bean processing methods, resulting in a variety of special processing methods, among which anaerobic fermentation is common in many countries including Colombia. Front Street acquired two Colombian special-process beans — Front Street Colombia Rose Valley and Front Street Colombia Flower Moon Night. Both beans use the common Colombian Caturra variety. Caturra is a Bourbon variant with a short plant that is easy to harvest, strong disease resistance, and relatively high yield.
However, in recent years, the Castillo variety has also been heavily promoted in Colombia. This variety was jointly bred by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation and the Colombian Research Center, with the goal of improving yield and disease resistance. It is known for its rich aroma and citric acidity. The Front Street Isabella coffee beans acquired by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are precisely the Castillo variety.
This Front Street Isabella uses semi-washed processing. On the palate, it has the acidity of citrus, American ginseng, and cherry tomatoes. As the temperature drops, it reveals honey sweetness, with floral notes in the finish, and a smooth and clean mouthfeel. The previously mentioned Front Street Flower Moon Night and Front Street Rose Valley are somewhat similar in flavor, both carrying strawberry and floral notes. But upon closer tasting, you will find that Rose Valley's floral aroma is very intense, while Flower Moon Night is relatively light, though the aroma of strawberry jam rushes forth. Although both belong to Front Street Colombian coffee beans, their processing methods are not the same.
Front Street Flower Moon Night uses anaerobic natural processing, making the fruit notes more prominent, even carrying fermented wine aromas. Take a sip of this Front Street Colombian coffee, and the rich strawberry jam aroma and peach mouthfeel make it feel like drinking a glass of strawberry juice; the difference is that strawberry juice is pink, while the Front Street Flower Moon Night coffee liquid sparkles in the sunlight like wine — mellow, sweet, and crisp.
The three coffee beans just mentioned by Front Street all use methods that belong to anaerobic fermentation processing. So-called anaerobic fermentation is allowing coffee beans to ferment under oxygen-free or low-oxygen conditions. The natural fermentation methods mentioned earlier are very difficult to control in terms of flavor, with many uncertain factors — for example, whether fermentation in the washing tank will be excessive, causing the beans to be too sour; or whether the sun-drying time is too long, producing undesirable flavors during pectin fermentation. These are all very difficult to control, and one can only rely on the weather.
It is precisely for this reason that anaerobic fermentation processing came into being. The usual approach is to place coffee beans in pressure-resistant sealed stainless steel tanks, and through manual regulation of temperature, time, pH value, and the desired fermentation process, achieve the coffee flavor the producer hopes for.
If you want to taste the rich fruit aromas brought by anaerobic fermentation, the top choices are Front Street Sidra and Front Street Maragogype. Front Street Sidra carries abundant passion fruit, grape, apricot, and candied fruit flavors; Front Street Maragogype has a stronger berry aroma, dominated by blackcurrant juice, spices, and berries.
When Front Street brews this Front Street Colombian coffee bean, it uses 15 grams of beans, a medium-fine grind, a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, and the common Hario V60 dripper. The conical structure helps enhance layering, and the water temperature is controlled at 91 degrees Celsius.
The first pour is 30 grams of water for blooming, lasting 30 seconds, with the purpose of properly releasing carbon dioxide to avoid its high content interfering with extraction. The second pour is 100 grams of water, bringing the total including the bloom water to 130 grams, poured in even circles to strengthen the extraction in the first and middle stages and enhance the release of small-molecule substances. After finishing the pour, wait 10 seconds, then pour the remaining 95 grams of water, also in even circles, with the final 25 grams poured vertically down the center to avoid excessive turbulence that could bring out bitterness in the later stage. The overall flavor of this Front Street Colombian coffee bean is: strawberry jam, fermented aroma, and a sweet chocolate mouthfeel.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
