Colombia Los Nogales

Product detailed description

Los Nogales Farm is a family business, so it's difficult to talk about just one name. For us, however, this farm is represented by the charismatic Oscar Hernandéz, the leader of the entire project.

Oscar is the third generation of farmers to grow coffee in the south of the Huila department, near the town of Bruselas. He is an energetic, always positive-minded and innovative person not only for his family, but also for the wider area. His father, Ricaurte Hernandéz, was the first to prove what we already know today, that in Bruselas you can find the best coffees in all of Colombia. In 2006, he won the Colombian Cup of Excellence and, as the locals say, thanks to him, people started talking about us. Ricaurte "placed" Bruselas and with it the entire Huila department on the map of specialty coffee. And Oscar continues this tradition, thanks to him and his approach, Los Nogales is a centre of innovation and information for all proactive farmers in the area.

ABOUT THE FARM

Los Nogales is a family farm, or rather a company, that combines tradition with innovation. You can find it in the village of El Diamante, not far from the town of Bruselas in the southern part of the Huila department. The Hernandéz family dates the founding of the farm to around 1940. The cultivation of the finest coffee was then developed by Mr Ricaurte Hernandéz. After his death, it was unclear for a while what would happen to the farm. However, about six years ago, the farm began to prosper under the leadership of Oscar Hernandéz, the son of Mr Ricaurte, and is now becoming a model for farmers throughout the area.

Three pillars of the Finca Los Nogales approach:

1. Terroir – the soil gives us life and it also gives it to the coffee trees that grow on it. They are aware of this at Los Nogales. The whole Los Nogales team is thinking about long-term sustainability of agriculture and the usual approach to fertilisation. They replace commercial intensive single-component fertilisers with complex organic humus processed from their own coffee processing residues. They are also gradually planting coffee plants further apart on the plantations, thus reducing the demands on the soil. However, in the long term, this ensures that future generations will be able to grow coffee on the same soil.

2. Genetics – the second important ingredient in coffee production is genetic material. That is, the varieties you choose to work with. Such as Castillo or Colombia, but also exotic varieties imported from other countries and continents such as Gesha or Sudan Rume.

3. Science and passion – Los Nogales relies on innovation. The coffee world is constantly evolving, and its connection to scientific knowledge is becoming increasingly obvious, or rather a necessity. They also rely on an experienced accountant, and he himself is a very capable manager. No one lacks anything they do, they pull together, and if they have any differing opinions, they see them as a benefit.

– The process begins with the careful harvesting of only ripe coffee beans. This is crucial for obtaining high-quality coffee beans, as ripe fruits have optimal flavour and aroma.
– Cleaning and disinfection with treated water: The harvested coffee beans undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection using treated water. This helps to eliminate impurities and unwanted microorganisms.
– Sorting by density, known as floating: The coffee beans are immersed in water and sorted by density. Grains with higher density tend to sink, while grains with lower density float. This helps to separate the quality grains from the defective ones.
– Thermal shock: The selected grains are subjected to a thermal shock with water at 80 °C for 20 seconds, followed by rapid cooling with cold water for 3 to 5 minutes. This process breaks down sugars and pasteurises the grains, which contributes to the final taste of the coffee.
– Removal of husks in a wet mill and addition of sugars: The coffee fruits are stripped of their husks and placed in fermentation vats. Sugars obtained by pressing the husks of the coffee cherries themselves are added to them. This can improve the flavour profile and add sweet notes to the coffee.
– Fermentation: The coffee beans undergo a fermentation process that lasts 120 hours. During this time, the sugars are broken down, which affects the taste and acidity of the coffee. Mention is also made of the addition of pre-ferments, similar to sourdough in bread, which can add unique properties to the coffee.
– Sun drying: Finally, the fermented coffee beans are dried in the sun for 15 days. This step is essential to reduce the moisture content of the beans to a level suitable for long-term storage and to further develop the flavour of the coffee.