The PURPLE RAIN coffee from Colombia, roasted by Kaffa, shows that even without caffeine, you can enjoy a distinctive and complex flavor profile. The cup is dominated by sweet blue grapes and juicy black currants, complemented by notes of chocolate, caramel, and a subtle hint of black pepper on the finish. The coffee has a full body, a distinctive aroma, and a long, pleasantly sweet aftertaste. Its fruity character is best enjoyed when brewed with a filter.
The coffee cherries come from growers in the Colombian regions of Huila, Tolima, and Caldas and are subsequently processed at the El Vergel Estate in Tolima. Behind this coffee are brothers Elias and Shady Bayter, who collaborate with the Forest Coffee project, which focuses on innovative processing methods for specialty coffee. This lot consists of the Castillo, Caturra, and Colombia varieties, grown at an elevation of approximately 1,750 meters above sea level. The coffee cherries are hand-picked and selectively harvested from March through June.
The processing combines the honey method, co-fermentation with grape components, and subsequent Sugarcane Decaf decaffeination. After the initial fermentation, a sweet layer of pulp remains on the beans, which then undergo a five-day anaerobic fermentation in the presence of yeast and aromatic grape components. This is followed by approximately 10 days of mechanical drying and a five-day stabilization period in airtight GrainPro bags. Finally, the caffeine is removed using ethyl acetate derived from sugarcane, allowing the coffee to retain a significant portion of the aromatic character developed during processing.
- Farm: El Vergel Estate
- Producers: Elias and Shady Bayter
- Elevation: 1,750 m above sea level
- Harvest: March–June