Proud of his Paez indigenous roots, Elias demonstrates 30+ years of experience with this lot of washed Caturra, feeling silky and balanced in the cup.
Elias Quilcue Apio is a coffee producer with a proud indigenous heritage: the Paez people. His grandparents, who lived in the land he cultivates today, helped treat people in the community with natural remedies. They call this place El Diviso, nestled high in the southern mountains of Tolima, Colombia.
Elias got involved in coffee production in 2002. In 2019, motivated by a local association and after attending some workshops, he introduced numerous changes to the production process: harvest, infrastructure, handling… This immediately pushed up the quality of the coffee, which started selling in the specialty markets and brought a better income into the household.
El Diviso occupies 6 hectares, half of which are planted with coffee trees of Typica, Colombia and Caturra varietals. The rest is dedicated to growing other produce for local consumption. All of this is done with the highest consideration for the environment—Elias’ coffee and produce are certified Organic.
The fermentation style is quite distinctive, yet it still is considered traditionally washed. Ripe cherries ferment inside their pulp for about 20-24 hours, then floated to discard less dense fruits and other debris. After that, the cherries are pulped without water and then left to ferment in black bags for about 100-120 hours. Finally, these are washed with water twice, then dried in parabolic-covered patios for 20-25 hours, depending on the climate.
This lot features a beautiful and balanced washed Caturra.
Elias is content, proud of his history and contribution to the land and community. When he’s not tending the land and business, he weaves and crafts artisanal objects alongside his partner Esneida.
All the images and information about this coffee and its producers have been kindly shared by the importer, Caravela, and edited by us, Sample Coffee (unless linked to or credited otherwise).
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