Colombia Monteblanco Rodrigo Sánchez Carbonic Maceration

Rodrigo Sánchez is one of our award-winning producer partners in Colombia, known to have won the Colombia Roasters United Award. Growing amazing coffee at his Monteblanco farm, the producer took his best beans and elevated them to new flavor heights this year using the Carbonic Maceration Process. This unique process allows us to achieve a brighter cup that's more aromatic, floral, and sweet, accentuating certain flavors and acidity with the union of the two varietals that we selected. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind coffee, which boasts flavor notes of lavender, tropical kiwi, and candied white peach.

COFFEE REVIEW - Colombia  Monteblanco Rodrigo Sánchez Carbonic Maceration  94 POINTS - 2023

Ken Davids of Coffee Review in his 94 POINTS - March 2023 assessment describes our Colombia  Monteblanco Rodrigo Sánchez Carbonic Maceration as:

Subtly suave, brightly juicy anaerobic. Rose, strawberry, cocoa, pink lemonade, yogurt in aroma and cup. A juicy floral acidity dominates in structure, deepened by a hint of savory depth. Lightly silky, lively mouthfeel. Strawberry and cocoa give way to flowers in a drying finish.

… A light-footed and balanced anaerobic cup, floral without perfumy excess, cleanly fruit-toned and silky in texture.

https://www.coffeereview.com

Carbonic Maceration Process fermentation begins with the CO2 being injected into the bins, this displaces the oxygen (O2) existing in the bin leading to a maceration environment. With a starting point at a minimum degree of maturation of 90% and an average Brix degree of 20-24. When picking the coffee cherries quality control is used to filter the best coffee cherries. After the coffee reaches the processing area, it is rafted (floats) in order to eliminate by density those dry beans, brocades, leaves, 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 a period of 70 hours, with CO2 injection. During this period the coffee bean undergoes changes in the color of its mucilage that is transferred to the parchment, they are pink tones intense and dark, this helps to improve the sweetness of the coffee and the body of the final drink. This process intensifies the fruity notes of the coffee, the changes in this first stage are more enzymatic. The coffee is pulped and deposited again in the bins with its own juice rich in sugars, the source of fruit juice and microorganisms are incorporated, potentiating the fermentation. These are hermetically covered to start the fermentation that, thanks to the microorganisms, begin to metabolize the sugar chains of the mucilage, developing better fragrance attributes and acidity. CO2 is injected that displaces the oxygen (O2) existing in the bin leading to a maceration environment, this time can be between 70 to 94 hours, there would be a total of between 140 and 188 hours of fermentation between cherries and mucilage and then washed and dried for a period of 18 to 22 days.

It should be noted that this hard work has been done collectively together with our Aromas del Sur team, from processes such as germination, production and export we have reached hundreds of places, being one of the finest Colombian coffees. Within there infrastructure they have a wet mill and drying facilities in the upper part of the farm. In its surroundings, the coffee plantations are planted. Monteblanco is within an average temperature between 16 and 22 degrees, it also has a luminosity of 1700 hours a year that allows the light to be usable for crops; we also find a parabolic drying temperature and drying under shade, on the canopies or African beds. It has a washing extension, a wet mill where the coffee is pulped and fermented, we also have a cooler that guarantees a stable temperature between 10 and 14 degrees for cold fermentation; For dry coffees, it is fermented in cans or in exclusive tanks for the fermentation of natural processes on the farm.

Rodrigo Sánchez is one of our award-winning producer partners in Colombia, known to have won the Colombia Roasters United Award. Growing amazing coffee at his Monteblanco farm, the producer took his best beans and elevated them to new flavor heights this year using the Carbonic Maceration Process.

The Monteblanco farm is located in the Municipality of Acevedo, San Adolfo Jurisdiction in the village of La Tocora, at an altitude of 1730 m above sea level. In its surroundings, we can find the Cueva de los Guácharos National Park, which is one of the 59 protected areas of the Colombian National Natural Parks system. The farm is also located on the Suaza River Valley, a quality that provides a connection innate with nature and all that it provides.

Monteblanco is a family farm managed by Rodrigo Sánchez Valencia in the tradition of coffee growing that he started together with his grandfather. The 14 hectares of Monteblanco have made it possible for the various varieties to acquire all the facilities for growth and productivity, and thanks to all its environmental has to offer, it allows cultivating varieties such as Geisha, Bourbon Rosado, Pacamara, Caturra Purpura, and Caturra Rojo, among others. This has achieved ideal conditions for both physical and sensory adaptation, developing unique profiles that have achieved worldwide recognition with wide acceptance by the most exclusive palates of the different coffee markets.

Carbonic Maceration Process fermentation begins with the CO2 being injected into the coffee bins, displacing the oxygen (O2) existing in the bin and leading to a maceration environment. With a starting point at a minimum degree of maturation of 90%, this process averages a Brix degree of 20-24. When picking the coffee cherries, quality control is used to filter the best coffee cherries. After the coffee reaches the processing area, it is rafted (floats) in order to eliminate dry beans, brocades, leaves, and voids that may affect the homogeneity of fermentation by density. This also helps improve the physical quality of the coffee (yield factor).

After selection, the coffee is deposited in plastic bins to ferment in the cherry for a period of 70 hours, with CO2 injection. During this period, the coffee bean undergoes changes in the color of its mucilage that is transferred to the parchment (they are pink tones and intense and dark), which helps improve the sweetness of the coffee and the body of the final drink. This process intensifies the fruity notes of the coffee, and the changes in this first stage are more enzymatic. The coffee is pulped and deposited again in the bins with their own juice rich in sugars, potentiating the fermentation. These are hermetically covered to start the fermentation that, thanks to the microorganisms, begin to metabolize the sugar chains of the mucilage, developing better fragrance attributes and acidity. CO2 is injected that displaces the oxygen (O2) existing in the bin, leading to a maceration environment, which this time can be between 70 to 94 hours. There will be a total of between 140 and 188 hours of fermentation between cherries and mucilage before an 18 to 22 day drying period.

It should be noted that this hard work has been done collectively together with our Aromas del Sur team, from processes such as germination, production, and export to bring the finest Colombian coffee to hundreds of places. Within the infrastructure, they have a wet mill and drying facilities in the upper part of the farm. In its surroundings, the coffee plantations are planted. Monteblanco is within an average temperature of 16 and 22 degrees Celsius, and it also has a luminosity of 1700 hours a year that allows the light to be usable for crops. It is also a parabolic drying temperature, and the coffee can be dried under the shade, on the canopies, or on the African beds. There is also a washing extension, a wet mill where the coffee is pulped and fermented, and a cooler that guarantees a stable temperature between 10 and 14 degrees for cold fermentation. For dry coffees, they are fermented in cans or in exclusive tanks for the fermentation of natural processes on the farm.

As with many coffee origins, it is believed that coffee was first brought to Colombia by priests, arriving, perhaps, within a decade or two after coffee first came to the Americas via the Caribbean in the first half of the 17th century. It was likely a garden crop grown for local consumption and barter for decades. Generations of Colombians tell the story of a priest named Francisco Romero, who could be called the father of commercial coffee cultivation in Colombia. The folkloric tale goes that in the early 1800s, Father Francisco, hearing confessions in the northeastern town of Salazar de la Palmas, assigned planting coffee to his parishioners as penance for their sins. The Archbishop of Colombia heard about this, and ordered all priests to adopt the practice. Commercial production of coffee expanded quickly, moving into regions where the growing conditions were ideal.

Even though it’s been 4,000 years, the soil resulting from the last major eruption of Tolima is still considered “young soil,” filled with nutrients that are no longer found at the same levels in old soil. Volcanic soil contains high levels of potassium and nitrogen, which are fading or absent in other soils. “Boron,” which arrived from outer space long ago, is also present. Boron plays a key role in a diverse range of plant functions: it is essential to the structure of plant cell walls and in the creation of enzymes, and in flowering and fruit formation, meaning that Boron contributes to coffee seed yield.

In addition to nutrients, the structure of volcanic soil is also beneficial to coffee growing. It can soak up and hold moisture while, at the same time, facilitating good drainage so that the water doesn’t pool, which is not good for coffee plant roots. Coffee plants like to take a drink, then take a break. Additionally, volcanic soils are usually found on an incline, which also helps with drainage. All of these “microclimate” factors come together to bring you the complex, nuanced flavors in your cup of coffee.