Farm Info

The Caturra Bourbon CM is a blend, harvested and produced at Finca El Progreso. The Caturra seed was discovered in the municipality of Palestina in 2009, around 25,000 Caturra trees were planted, of which 20 were phenotypically different in their structure, such as the color of grain, leaf color, and in the attack of coffee rust. El Progreso farm is located in the Municipality of Acevedo, San Adolfo, at an altitude of 1730 masl above sea level. It is a family farm managed by Rodrigo Sanchez Valencia and his wife Claudia Samboni, following the coffee-growing tradition that began with his grandfather. In the 23 hectares of El Progreso farm, Rodrigo and his team have achieved several exotic varieties’ ideal growth and productivity. This is possible thanks to the farm’s environmental characteristics allowing Rodrigo to cultivate top-quality Gesha, Pink Bourbon, Pacamara, Purple Caturra, and Red Caturra, among others.

El Progreso farm is within an average temperature between 16 and 22 degrees. Within the farm’s infrastructure, you can find the wet mill where the coffee is pulped and fermented, and the drying facilities with the perfect temperature for parabolic drying, drying under shade, on the canopies or African beds. El Progreso is also equipped with its washing extension and a cooler that guarantees a stable temperature between 10 and 14 degrees to carry out cold fermentations.

Recently, Rodrigo started being involved in projects with three innovative partners in his region. One of them is the famous Elkin Guzman. Elkin has been working with Rodrigo to foster a specific methodology for the applications of experimental and varietal-specific processing.
Rodrigo has also been working with Jairo Ruiz of Banexport on “Monteblanco—Banexport Experimental Farm 2”, a variety-specific experimental farm. Lastly, Rodrigo has developed a close relationship with a coffee cupper in Pitalito: Wbeimar Lasso.

“He has been a crucial influence in my career because he guides me, and he has helped me to find the true potential of my coffee.” – Rodrigo

Caturra Bourbon CM Process

With Rodrigo’s Carbonic Maceration method, the cherries selected should be at a starting point of a minimum of 90% maturation and an average Brix degree of 20-24.

After the coffee reaches the processing area, it is rafted (floats) to eliminate by density those dry beans, brocades, leaves, and voids that may affect the homogeneity of fermentation in addition to improving the physical quality of the coffee (yield factor).

After selection, the coffee is deposited in plastic bins to ferment in cherry for 70 hours, with CO2 injected. During this period the coffee bean undergoes changes in the colour of its mucilage that is transferred to the parchment, creating intense pink and dark tones, enhancing the sweetness and the body of the final drink, as well as intensifying the fruity notes of the coffee – these changes in the first stage of fermentation are more enzymatic.

The coffee is then pulped and deposited again in bins with its same juice (mussto) which is now rich in sugars, the source of fruit juice and micro-organisms are incorporated, enhancing fermentation. The hoppers are hermetically covered and injected with CO2 to start fermentation for another 70 to 94 hours. Thanks to present micro-organisms, the sugar chains of the mucilage metabolize, developing better fragrance and acidity attributes.

There would be a total of 140 to 188 hours of fermentation between cherries and mucilage. The beans are then washed and dried for a period of 18 to 22 days.

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