Colombia, Hacienda El Obraje - Maracaturra

This gem of a coffee is bright and sparkling. It makes me see neon green and yellow. Reminds me of lemon, lime and white sugar.

From the importer:

ABOUT PABLO GUERRERO

In 2000, Mr. Pablo Guerrero introduced coffee to the Tangua region, outside Pasto. Hacienda El Obraje, which has been in his family for generations, originally produced wheat and grains across 92 hectares. However, with the Colombian government's grain imports in the 1990s, wheat production became unfeasible.

After ten years of experimenting with fruit trees, which faced challenges in market access, Pablo transitioned to coffee despite the risks, unsure of its viability at high altitudes. Pablo‘s background in architecture has led him to approach coffee production with both passion and pragmatism, using planting and processing strategies designed for long term farm health.

The coffee has since thrived, and others have since followed his lead by planting more trees and adopting efficient landscape design, Pablo has preserved a unique microclimate and improved access to all areas of the farmland.

MARACATURRA VARIETY

Hacienda El Obraje, located in the mountains of Nariño, spans nearly 100 hectares, with coffee cultivated on 25 hectares and the rest preserved as a natural forest reserve by Pablo. The estate‘s wet mill is equipped with fermentation tanks, depulping equipment, mechanical dryers, and raised beds under a solar dryer, ensuring immediate processing after harvest.

El Obraje also has its own nursery, where seeds are planted in soil bags before being transplanted into the field. The farm uses a mixed fertilization approach, applying both organic and chemical fertilizers. The farm‘s unique microclimate and volcanic, mineral-rich soil significantly influence the coffees flavor profile. Despite irregular rainfall, water from the farms retention pond is used for irrigation.

The region’s wide temperature fluctuations—ranging from 32°C during the day to 8°C at night—affect the bean density and cause the trees to grow more compact than those in other regions of Colombia.

The Maracaturra variety is a recent addition to El Obraje, resulting from the cross between the Maragogipe and Caturra varieties. Maragogipe is renowned for its large beans, while Caturra, a mutation of Bourbon, is known for its compact growth and high yields.

Maracaturra inherits the best traits of both, creating a coffee tree that is resistant to diseases and pests, while also producing large, flavourful beans. This variety thrives in the conditions at El Obraje, delivering a hearty and consistent harvest.

PROCESSING

This specific lot of Maracaturra was processed using the Washed method at the El Obraje mill. Processing times can vary depending on the climatic conditions during harvest. Typically, cherries are fermented whole for 20 hours in the same bags used for picking.

Only ripe cherries are selectively harvested and sorted by flotation. After pulping, the coffee undergoes a 48-hour dry fermentation in hermetically sealed stainless tank, followed by a full wash and a second flotation sorting. The coffee is then dried on raised beds for an average of 18 to 22 days.

During the rainy season, high humidity makes it nearly impossible to dry coffee solely on raised beds. In these conditions, the coffee is dried for four days in a mechanical parchment combustion dryer, where it is exposed to a hot air flow of 30°C. Initially, planting shade trees would have been impractical due to the humidity, as they could trap excess moisture and promote diseases. However, the coffee has adapted to its environment, and the farm now features low-density shade trees planted alongside the coffee trees.