Colombia, Finca La Casa - Pink Bourbon

Nariño, located in the Andes mountain range, is a mountainous department with diverse landscapes, ranging from the high Andean plateaus to tropical forests and Pacific Ocean beaches. Its volcanic soils, rich in minerals from the eruptions of the Galeras volcano, are essential to the exceptional quality of the coffee grown in the region. Today, coffee from Nariño is not only a local economic pillar but also a key player in the global reputation of Colombian coffee.

LA UNION

La Unión stands out as one of the largest producers of specialty coffee in Colombia, producing approximately 10 million kilograms annually. The coffee culture is the foundation of the municipality's economy. It isgrown in 40 of the 45 rural areas that make it up, according to the CoffeeGrowers Committee in their report "Distribution of Coffee Farming in theMunicipality of La Unión." Out of the 4,438 coffee farms, 3,607.93 hectaresare planted with coffee.

FRANK AND GABRIEL TORRES

Frank and Gabriel come from a family with a rich coffee tradition, with their grandfather, Marco Antonio Torres, being one of the first to cultivate coffee in La Unión over 80 years ago. After inheriting part of La Indonesia farm, Frank oversees all processing and farming practices with the help of his younger brother Gabriel. A Q grader passionate about coffee since a young age, Frank began his career with Starbucks' specialty coffee program and later worked as a green coffee buyer for exporters and importers. This extensive experience has helped him push the limits of coffee processing, making his farm one of the most unique and innovative in Colombia.LA CASA Frank Torres is the main manager of his family’s estate,

Finca La Indonesia, where he oversees the entire coffee production across its various plots of land. La Casa is one of them and belongs to Gabriel. Together, they focus on environmental sustainability, maintaining soil health, and managing water resources responsibly. Frank and Gabriel grow coffee alongside a range of fruits and shade trees, aiming to preserve the land for future generations.

Their family is also deeply involved in the community— his brother Juan Angel also ssists on the farm and his sister Yorgeny recently launched a specialty cupcake bakery in La Union.

Frank and Gabriel’s ongoing efforts to improve farming practices have allowed them to convert 90% of their parcels to organic.

PINK BOURBON VARIETY

Its precise genetic lineage is not fully documented. This variety was reportedly discovered in Colombia, and its coffee cherries are notable for their unique pinkish colour when ripe, a rare feature compared to the more common red cherries found in many other varieties.

FRANK AND GABRIEL’S PROCESSING

Typically, a late harvest is carried out. For this pink Bourbon, maturation lasts approximately 20 days, and the cherries must show an intense pink coloration. After this stage, the coffee is harvested and floated, and the cherries are sorted individually to remove under-ripe or green beans. The cherries are then disinfected with ozonated water before being pulped.

Next, the coffee is transferred to tanks filled with filtered and ozonated water, and 10% of ferment from a previous batch is added. Key parameters as pH, TDS, Brix, and microbiological activity (10,000 ppm), are closely monitored. At this point, the coffee is removed and washed with ozonated water.

The coffee is then placed on raised drying beds to drain for 2 to 3 days and subsequently dried in a mechanical dehydrator at 30°C for 20 to 24 hours until it reaches a moisture content of 10–11%. Once dried, the coffee is bagged, and samples are sent to the laboratory for physical and sensory analysis.