Introduction:This article delves into the "Floral Moonlight" coffee beans from the Huila region of Colombia, exploring everything from the growing environment and variety characteristics to the anaerobic natural processing method, offering a detailed breakdown of its unique flavor profile featuring strawberry, cranberry, and liquor-infused chocolate. Practical roasting and pour over parameters are also provided to help coffee enthusiasts master the brewing techniques for this specially processed bean.
The Colombian coffee industry faced labor shortages during the pandemic, but the Huila region has continued to attract global specialty coffee buyers with its stable and layered flavor profiles. Among them, the "Floral Moonlight" coffee beans from the El Diviso Farm showcase the Caturra variety, enhanced by anaerobic natural processing, resulting in complex berry and chocolate notes that have become a top choice for many coffee lovers' collections.
Huila Province is located at the southern end of the Central Cordillera in southern Colombia, characterized by mountainous terrain surrounded by hills, with most plantations situated at altitudes of 1,500 meters or higher, some even exceeding 1,800 meters. This allows the cultivation of Supremo-grade coffee beans that are large in size and low in defect rates. The region’s coffee is renowned for its balanced flavor, bright acidity, and rich fruity notes, which have made special processing methods increasingly popular here.
These "Floral Moonlight" coffee beans come from the El Diviso Farm in the city of Neiva, Huila Province, and are managed by Ramirez, who comes from a family with a long history in coffee farming. He entered the coffee industry at the age of 18, initially focusing on mainstream varieties, before later choosing to specialize in Caturra. This variety, a mutation of Bourbon, features slender and slightly curved beans, with good disease resistance and adaptability. It thrives at altitudes between 700 and 1,800 meters, with the highest-altitude beans producing the best flavors. Though yields are lower, they exhibit rich tropical fruit aromas such as pineapple, mango, lychee, and honeydew.
The farm introduced a special processing program three years ago under the previous owner, which Ramirez has since optimized. He abandoned the previously ineffective traditional fermentation processes and adopted the now highly regarded anaerobic natural processing method. This technique involves injecting carbon dioxide into a sealed environment to eliminate oxygen, slowing down the breakdown of sugars in the coffee mucilage and resulting in a more stable pH change throughout the fermentation process. This leads to a richer sweetness and better balance.
Specifically, after completing anaerobic fermentation, the Floral Moonlight coffee beans undergo sun drying until their moisture content drops to 11%, after which the pulp and skin are mechanically removed. This processing method not only preserves the inherent fruity base of the beans but also enhances more pronounced berry and alcoholic notes through the anaerobic environment, creating its distinctive complex flavor profile.
In terms of roasting, because these beans are anaerobically natural processed, to balance the expression of fermentation character and achieve a rich mouthfeel, a medium roast is recommended. It is generally advised to use a Yangjia 800N roaster with a charge weight of about 480g. The initial drum temperature can be set to 180°C, with the air vent open at 3 and the heat at 130; the turning point is around 1 minute and 42 seconds. When the drum temperature drops to 140°C, adjust the air vent to 4, and when it reaches 150.6°C, the beans turn yellow, the grassy notes fade, and the dehydration stage begins. At 180°C, reduce the heat to 100 while keeping the air vent unchanged. Around 8 minutes and 45 seconds, the bean surface begins to show wrinkles and dark spots, and the coffee aroma replaces the bread-like smell, signaling the approach of the first crack. When the first crack begins at 10 minutes and 20 seconds, it is recommended to fully open the air vent and extend the development time by about 1 minute and 50 seconds, finally dropping the beans at 196°C.
Cupping results show that the dry fragrance of these beans features intense berry and ripe fruit fermentation notes, while the wet aroma emits rich fruit jam and liquor-infused chocolate scents. Upon actual tasting, the sweet-and-sour interplay of strawberry jam and cranberry is accompanied by a rich layering of fruit fermentation, with the finish extending the mellow depth and lingering notes of liquor-infused chocolate. The overall flavor performance is very complete.
If choosing the pour over method, it is recommended to use a Hario V60 #01 filter, with water temperature controlled at 90°C, a coffee dosage of 15g, and a brew ratio of 1:15. The grind size should be medium-fine (approximately 77% passing through a #20 sieve). Use a staged extraction method: for the first stage, pour 30g of water and let it bloom for 30 seconds to ensure a "hamburger" shape; in the second stage, pour up to 125g at 50 seconds, then wait until the water level drops to two-thirds of the coffee bed before proceeding to the third stage; in the third stage, pour up to 225g at 1 minute and 40 seconds, with a total extraction time of about 1 minute and 55 seconds. After brewing, gently swirl to ensure even flavor release.
After brewing this Floral Moonlight coffee via pour over, what first greets you is the bright aroma of strawberry jam and the fermentation character of ripe berries. On the palate, the acidity of cranberry is clear, paired with the juicy sensation of berry flavors spreading in the mouth, while the finish offers the creamy richness and depth of liquor-infused chocolate. It is a specialty coffee bean that combines layers and distinctive flavor characteristics.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
