Specialty coffee Colombia Vergel farm grape co fermented

Species: 100% Arabica Varieties: Castillo, Caturra & Colombia Process: Honey + Grape Co-Fermentation · EA Sugarcane Decaf Fermentation: Anaerobic co-fermentation with yeast and grape flavouring Altitude: 1,750 masl Regions: Huila, Tolima and Caldas, Colombia Producers: Coffee-growing families from Huila, Tolima and Caldas Processing facility: El Vergel Estate Category: Specialty coffee Decaffeination: Ethyl Acetate (EA) Sugarcane Process

Profile

Region Colombia

Origin & Production – Colombia Purple Rain Decaf

Colombia Purple Rain Decaf is an innovative decaffeinated specialty coffee from Colombia, combining expressive grape characteristics, rich chocolate sweetness and a distinctive fermentation process.

Part of Forest Coffee's Innovation Collection, Purple Rain Decaf brings together carefully selected Arabica coffees from the regions of Huila, Tolima and Caldas.

The coffee cherries are sourced from Colombian coffee-growing families according to seasonal harvest availability, ensuring access to freshly harvested coffee.

They are then transported to El Vergel Estate, where they undergo a carefully designed processing method that combines honey processing, grape co-fermentation and sugarcane decaffeination.

The story behind El Vergel Estate began in 1995 with the Bayter family's agricultural activities. Coffee cultivation started in 2010, followed by the first successful varietal harvests in 2015.

In 2017, Martha, Shady and Elias began exploring innovative approaches to coffee processing and building stronger connections between producers and roasters.

These efforts contributed to the establishment of Forest Coffee in 2019, an organisation focused on processing innovation, education, sustainability and transparent relationships with coffee producers.

The result is a distinctive decaffeinated coffee with expressive notes of grape, green grape, black pepper, dark chocolate and caramel.

Processing Method – Honey + Grape Co-Fermentation

One of the defining characteristics of Purple Rain Decaf is its innovative processing method, which combines honey processing with an extended anaerobic co-fermentation involving yeast and grape flavouring.

This process is designed to develop a pronounced fruity profile before the coffee undergoes decaffeination.

The processing method involves six main stages:

1. Cherry selection: Fresh coffee cherries are sorted by hand to select ripe fruit and remove impurities such as leaves and stones.
2. Pre-fermentation: The selected cherries undergo an initial 24-hour pre-fermentation in plastic bags.
3. Whole-cherry fermentation: The cherries continue fermenting for another 24 hours before the pulp is removed.
4. Anaerobic grape co-fermentation: Following depulping, the coffee beans undergo five days of anaerobic co-fermentation with their mucilage, yeast and grape flavouring. This stage enhances the honey process and develops the coffee's distinctive fruity characteristics.
5. Drying: The coffee is mechanically dried for approximately 10 days, allowing controlled moisture reduction.
6. Stabilisation: The dried coffee rests for five days in GrainPro bags, helping stabilise the beans before decaffeination.

After these stages, the coffee undergoes the EA Sugarcane Decaffeination Process.

This combination of controlled fermentation and decaffeination gives Purple Rain Decaf its distinctive character, offering an unconventional approach to producing flavourful decaffeinated coffee.

Decaffeination Method – EA Sugarcane Process

Following fermentation, drying and stabilisation, Purple Rain Decaf undergoes a decaffeination process using ethyl acetate (EA) derived from sugarcane grown in Colombia's Valle del Cauca region.

The process is designed to significantly reduce the caffeine content while preserving much of the coffee's original aromatic complexity.

It involves three principal stages:

1. Moistening: The green coffee beans are moistened with water to prepare them for caffeine extraction.
2. Caffeine extraction: Ethyl acetate circulates through the beans, helping extract caffeine while retaining many of the compounds responsible for flavour and aroma.
3. Steaming: The beans are treated with steam to remove residual ethyl acetate after the desired level of decaffeination has been achieved.

The result is a decaffeinated coffee that retains a distinctive flavour profile developed through its honey and grape co-fermentation process.

About the Varieties – Castillo, Caturra & Colombia

Purple Rain Decaf combines three Arabica varieties commonly cultivated in Colombia: Castillo, Caturra and Colombia.

Each variety contributes to the coffee's agricultural diversity and overall flavour potential.

Castillo is a Colombian-developed variety recognised for its resistance to coffee leaf rust and its suitability for different growing environments.

Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon, widely cultivated throughout Latin America and appreciated for its potential to produce sweet, balanced coffees.

Colombia is a variety developed through Colombian coffee breeding programmes, combining disease resistance with desirable cup-quality characteristics.

Together, these varieties provide the foundation for a coffee whose distinctive sensory profile is further shaped by honey processing, grape co-fermentation and sugarcane decaffeination.

Why Choose Colombia Purple Rain Decaf?

Colombia Purple Rain Decaf is an excellent choice for coffee lovers looking for an expressive and unconventional decaffeinated specialty coffee.

Unlike more traditional decaffeinated coffees, Purple Rain Decaf combines a carefully designed fermentation process with sugarcane decaffeination to develop a distinctive fruity and chocolatey flavour profile.

Its expressive notes of grape, green grape, black pepper, dark chocolate and caramel create an intriguing combination of fruit sweetness, chocolate richness and gentle spice.

The proposed light-medium roasting level aims to preserve the coffee's grape characteristics while developing enough sweetness and body for an enjoyable espresso experience.

When prepared as filter coffee, its fruity characteristics may become more prominent, while espresso preparation can highlight its caramel sweetness and chocolate depth.

Whether enjoyed during the afternoon or evening, Purple Rain Decaf offers an opportunity to explore innovative coffee processing with significantly reduced caffeine.

Colombian innovation. Grape co-fermentation. An extraordinary decaffeinated coffee experience.