Decaf Colombia el Nevado del Huila

El Nevado del Huila Decaf Lot is a majestic communal lot sourced primarily from producers in the captivating towns of Santa Maria and Pitalito, nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Northern and Southern Huila. But what makes this coffee truly remarkable goes far beyond its geographical origin – it is intricately intertwined with the towering Nevado del Huila, Colombia’s highest volcano, reaching an astounding elevation of nearly 5,500 meters or 18,000 feet! Each small lot undergoes a meticulous selection process, with individual cuppings performed multiple times before being seamlessly integrated into the main lot. Quality is paramount, and only coffees that meet strict cupping standards make the cut. The journey begins when the producer presents a sample at one of our buying stations, where the first evaluation takes place. Upon approval, the lot continues its expedition to the warehouse, where it endures yet another round of cupping, and prepared to be milled. And alas, this is where it begins. The finalized lot then undergoes a decaffeination method with Ethyl Acetate, commonly called the Sugar Cane Process. Ethyl Acetate (E.A.) is a volatile product with a sweet chemical scent, extracted from fermented sugar cane – Hence its naming.The green beans are submerged in this E.A. solution, which act as dissolvent for caffeine (Meaning caffeine migrates from inside the bean and into the E.A. solution) – This process is repeated for 8 hours, until all caffeine has been removed.Given the volatile nature of E.A. the coffee is then steamed and dried in order to remove all traces of it, preserving the exquisite profile of our Nevado lot. Producer Communal Lots Location Pitalito / Santa Maria, Huila, Colombia Elevation 1600 - 19000 masl Variety field blend Process washed sugar cane process Photos courtesy of The Coffee Quest