Colombia
Elias Quilcue Apio

Washed process Caturra

Flavour: strawberry, green apple, lemon

Body: Acidity:

In the southern part of the Tolima department, nestled in the mountains at the far edge of the municipality of Planadas, we meet Elias Quilcue Apio and his family. He lives and farms in an area that belongs to the indigenous Paez community. Elias has been involved in coffee farming since 2002 on his farm, El Diviso. Around 2019, inspired by a local association and through workshops, he made the shift to specialty coffee. This transition not only improved the quality of his coffee but also enhanced his quality of life and allowed him to upgrade his farm infrastructure.

On his farm, Elias also grows produce for local consumption, all cultivated organically with a deep respect for the environment. In his spare time, he enjoys weaving and crafting artisanal objects. He takes great pride in his farm—its rich biodiversity, water sources, and the surrounding green mountains. Elias is especially proud of his cultural heritage and often shares stories of his grandparents, who were indigenous healers that lived on the farm and treated people with natural remedies.

Elias processes his coffee with care and precision. It begins with the selection of ripe cherries, which then undergo an in-cherry fermentation for 20 to 24 hours in bags. The cherries are then floated to remove less dense beans and any foreign material such as leaves or twigs. Next, they are pulped without water, and the beans are fermented in black bags for 100 to 120 hours. After fermentation, the beans are washed twice. Drying is carried out in parabolic-covered patios for 20 to 25 days, depending on the weather conditions.

Sourcing and ingredients

100% Caturra coffee beans, provided by Caravela and roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Packaging

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

1:3
dose:yield
ratio

To brew on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

g dose

g yield

View the how to brew espresso (single origin) guide.

1:16.7
beans:water
ratio

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:14.3
beans:water
ratio

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:12
beans:water
ratio

To brew as cold brew we recommend using a 1:12 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

Producer: Elias Quince Apio
Farm/Coop: El Diviso
Country: Colombia
Region: Tolima
Altitude: 1750m above sea level
Varietals: Caturra
Process: washed
Harvested: August 2024
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Strawberry, green apple, lemon
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varietals

Caturra varietal

Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon that was originally discovered in Brazil in 1937, considered to be the first naturally occurring mutation ever discovered.

The location

Coffee from Colombia

Colombia is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and benefits greatly from having one of the most unique and complex set of micro-climates of all coffee producing nations.

The Tolima region of Colombia

The word ‘Tolima’ comes from the local indigenous language and means a “river of snow or cloud”.

Farm processes

Washed process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.