COLOMBIA, Dark Roast

• Origin : Colombia

• Process : Washed, Sun-Dried

• Roast : Dark

• Notes : Cocoa, Nuts, Blackberry

• Harvest : March to July, September to December

Looking for a more vivid, stronger-bodied coffee with a classic Colombian flavor?  Our Colombian dark roast coffee amplifies a rustic sweetness. It is characterized by having smoky notes of cocoa and dark fruit, while still holding a well-balanced body and acidity.

Colombia is home to dozens of micro-climates across thousands of miles. There are thousands of nutrient-dense hills and mountains made of small farms that are about 5 acres in size, tended by single-family coffee farmers. In addition to the rich soil, the wet climate and high elevation not only make it easy to grow coffee but makes it easy to grow quality coffee. Because of frequent rains, most coffee processing stations use the washed method, resulting in coffee with crisp acidity, mild sweetness, and flavor clarity. There are about 600,000 coffee-producing farmers and 2.2 million acres of land growing high-end arabica coffee beans.

History

Coffee was first brought to Colombia in the early 1700s by Jesuit priests who arrived with Spanish settlers. They harvested the first crop in the Northeast part of Colombia. Coffee spread quickly across the nation, adopted by small, family farms as a local cash crop. Commercial export of coffee didn’t occur until the first decade of the 1800s. In the mid-1800s, coffee consumption grew rapidly in the United States, France, and Germany which grew the coffee-producing market in Colombia.

In Colombia, coffee is the symbol of wealth and diversity and a major influence in Colombian culture. For many Colombians, drinking coffee isn’t just to kick-start their mornings. It is a form of social activity, catching up with friends and family.

Dessert Complements

Colombian coffee pairs beautifully with any chocolate, but more so with white chocolate. The bold smoky notes in the coffee blend in with the light sweetness in the chocolate creating a harmony of flavor. It also is a good pairing with wheat and whole-grain bread.

Interesting Facts

• Colombia is the 3rd largest coffee-growing country worldwide.

• Coffee harvesting in Colombia is distinct, they use a Colombian process known as 'cherry-picking' - farmers hand-pick each cherry and only pick the fully ripe ones.