Colombia, Villamaria Decaf
Description
DECAF
Producers of Villamaria / 1800 masl. / Pink Bourbon variety / Natural Sugarcane Decaf / SCA - 83.75p
The region of Villamaria is fed by numerous sources of water and natural resources. The Pink Bourbon seedlings were grown at farm El Fénix, Quindío, and distributed to the producers of Villamaría. This lot was processed using the Water Pillow technique, which makes beautifully fruit-forward, and complex cups. Paired with gentle decaffeination at neighbouring Descafecol. This is one of the most delicious and lowest carbon footprint decafs around.
The Water Pillow technique uses cool temperatures by utilising cold water poured above plastic sheeting, creating a vacuum seal above the coffee cherries. Cold water reduces the fermentation temperature, and allows the coffee to sit in cherry for an extended period, with no interaction from additional oxygen. The temperature remains stable and low because the surface water acts as a heat exchanger, with the warmth evaporating off of the top. Then coffee is dried in cherry for up to 20 days on raised beds. And after depulpation - beans are ready for the next step.
Sugar cane decaffeination is often termed as a natural decaf. Ethyl Acetate is an organically existing compound (C4H8O2) and by-product found most commonly in the fermentation of fruits. This process begins with steaming of the coffee, increasing its porosity, beginning the hydrolysis of caffeine, which is usually bonded to salts and chlorogenic acid in the bean. The coffee is then submerged in an ethyl acetate solvent until 97% of the caffeine is removed. Finally, steam is then used to lift residual traces of the compound. The ultimate residue which remains is ≥ 30 ppm, which is a level dramatically less than that of a banana!
