GOLDEN HOUR Decaf from the Slovak roastery Concept Coffee Roasters proves that decaffeinated coffee can be just as interesting as its caffeinated counterpart. In the cup, you’ll find notes of red grapes, lychee, and passion fruit, brightened by a hint of citrus. A silky, creamy body elegantly ties the entire profile together. Brew it using a filter.
This coffee comes from the family-owned Nogales farm in the village of El Diamante, near the town of Bruselas in the southern Colombian department of Huila, which the Hernández family has operated since around 1940. Since 2016, Oscar Hernández has managed the farm, turning it into a model for farmers throughout the region. He relies on a team of experts consisting of a biochemist, an agricultural engineer, and a microbiologist, and approaches cultivation with a scientific and innovative mindset. In addition, the farm operates its own wastewater treatment plant as part of its commitment to sustainable farming. The Caturra coffee variety ripens at an altitude of 1,600 to 2,000 meters above sea level, where it matures slowly and develops its natural sweetness and citrus character.
Processing begins with the hand-picking of only ripe cherries, which the farmers float in water and sanitize with ozone to eliminate unwanted microorganisms. The cherries ferment for 24 hours, then are dried on raised beds for up to 21 days until the beans reach an ideal moisture content of 10 to 12%. Decaffeination is carried out using the mosto method: the beans are immersed in hot water at 40 °C in two four-hour cycles, and then mosto— the fresh juice from the pulp of coffee cherries—is added, imparting the coffee its fruity character and natural sweetness. After 24 hours of soaking and a final rinse, the coffee is dried for approximately 5 more days.
- Producer: Oscar Hernández
- Farm: Nogales
- Region: Bruselas, Huila
- Elevation: 1,600–2,000 m above sea level
- Processing: Washed, fermented using the mosto method (decaffeinated)