Located in the village of El Portal in Huila, Colombia, El Mirador is a 31-hectare farm planted with several varieties like Caturra, Tabi, Catiope, Orange Bourbon, Striped Bourbon, Mokka and more. Caturra is a core variety for the farm as well, making it a staple for volume lots.
Elkin Guzman, the owner of El Mirador, has been surrounded by coffee since he was born. His family has always been involved in coffee cultivation, trading, or retail. Collectively, his family has celebrated over 70 years in coffee now, with 12 years of research devoted to post-harvest processing techniques. All of this research and experience has brought Elkin to utilize multiple processing techniques depending on the individual lot of coffee, including Coffee Maceration, Lactic and Acetic Natural processes, and Natural Hydro Honey.
Harvest and post-harvest procedures are highly standardized for consistency and quality. First, the sugar content of the coffee cherries is measured in degrees Brix, followed by density and volumetric separation. Finally, the decision is made on which processing method is best suited to bring each lot to its fullest potential. The processing methods used by Elkin embody his pioneering spirit, combining different approaches to fermentation and drying techniques to complement each coffee’s inherent characteristics. In the case of this lot of Catiope coffee, the team at El Mirador chose a special processing method that they call Strawberry Natural. Catiope is a variety that Elkin came across during a visit to an experimental station operated by Cenicafé in Timbio, Cauca, Colombia. They told him that the cultivar was a result of crossing Caturra with Lineas Etiopes, hence the name. After planting it on his farm Elkin fell in love with the variety for its production and cup quality.
For the Strawberry natural the harvested coffee cherries undergo a disinfection process with a citric acid solution. They then begin the co-fermentation process by separating a 40-liter mass in a 200-liter can of mother culture, which has a caramelized strawberry mixture and takes 4 days to reach its optimal state. During fermentation, brown sugar is added as an energy source, and the pH is monitored for ideal conditions. The selected cherries (150 kg) are placed in plastic tanks for an initial 80-hour sealed fermentation to activate microorganisms and release CO2. Following this, the sourdough is added at a 10-liter ratio per tank for a 96-hour co-fermentation. After 176 hours of total fermentation, the coffee is moved to the drying area, left in thin layers for the first 3 days, and then turned every 3 hours until the moisture content reaches 10.5-11%.
