Decaf - Colombia Tolima

Tastes Like: Cocoa Powder, Nutty, Citrus, Caramel

Location: Colombia

Region: Tolima

Producer: Invercafe Ltda.

Varietal: Caturra, Castillo

Process: Washed, Sugarcane Process

Elevation: 1600 MASL

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About the Coffee

From a small farm in Tolima, this coffee comes to us through Ally Coffee who has partnered with Coffeefelipe and Invercafe Ltda. to deliver something truly special. Invercafe has decades of experience working with small family farms in various regions of Colombia, exporting from their mill in Caldas. They have become known for their commitment to sustainable production and careful selection of their coffees. Invercafe upholds their coffees’ quality through steadfast relationships with their farmers, ensuring that each coffee meets rigorous cup quality and physical standards before the coffee is milled and exported. 

This coffee goes through a traditional washed process. After being meticulously harvested, the coffee bean is removed from the cherry, has its mucilage removed, is fermented, then “washed” in large tanks. After, the coffee is dried in mechanical silos to achieve the standard moisture level. Once the coffee is dried it is sent to undergo the EA decaffeination process.

Sugarcane (EA) Decaffeination

The sugarcane method of decaffeinating coffee utilizes a natural compound found in fermented sugarcane known as ethyl acetate. During decaffeination, this compound bonds to the salts of chlorogenic acid found in the coffee and separates the caffeine from the rest of the bean. To allow this chemical reaction to occur, the green coffee is first steamed with low pressure to allow the pores to open. Once the initial steam is complete, the coffee is rinsed repeatedly with the EA solution until the caffeine is no longer detectable. Once decaffeination is complete, the coffee is steamed once more to remove any residual traces of EA, dried, and made ready for export.