Fabian Acevedo Pink Bourbon FW

As a young man growing up on his father’s coffee farm, Fabian Acevedo wanted to become a mechanic. He joined the military and worked as a mechanic in an auto shop but, using the money he made, he took cupping classes at SENA, the national learning service and realized that his dream was in coffee.

Leaving the auto shop, he worked in a cooperative’s quality control (QC) department as a lab assistant where he gained experience in roasting and cupping. Eventually, he was hired full time and became head of QC for the association. He also returned to his father’s farm and works with his brother, who oversees the fields while Fabian focuses on quality control.

Fabian’s dream is to have his own cupping lab on the farm. In 2019 he used premiums he received feor his high quality coffee to buy his first sample roaster. Six months later, he purchase a grinder. Since then, he’s also purchased cupping glasses and a water heater. His goal is to buy a Probat sample roaster.

Fabian believes La Argentina has hugh potential for quality but, due to its remoteness, it is difficult and expensive for producers to bring their coffees to Pitalito. Most coffee is purchased by intermediaries who blend it and sell it in Pitalito as larger lots. He hopes to change this with his cupping lab.

The soil is volcanic. In fact, you can see the tip of the crater of an extinct volcano, called El Morro, from the farm.

In search of higher quality, Fabian has transitioned his farm from Caturra and Colombia to Geisha, Java, Pink Bourbon and CENICAFE-1 (a new variety developed by CENICAFE research institute). His first Pink Bourbon harvest was in 2021.

Cherry is selectively handpicked and lightly fermented in plastic buckets for 18 hours. Then, cherry is pulped and fermented again for 30 to 36 hours.  Following fermentation, parchment is washed is clean water and laid on marquesinas, the flat drying shelves on the roof of Fabian’s house, to dry. Parchment dried under mesh in shade for 2 days and then in direct sunlight for 13 to 14 days. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying.

Led by producer Edilma Piedrahita, the 27 producers in Asoguacharos maintain high quality standards and produce excellent specialty coffees. Based in Huila, the group seeks out training opportunities provided by NGOs and the national learning service, SENA. As members of Asoguacharos, producers follow high standards and, in return, gain market access and garner higher prices for their coffees.

Each producer processed their own coffee on their farms and adapts their methods to best suit their specific conditions. This leads to unique variations from each producer. 

In the future, they plan to make their farms a center for ecotourism. They’ve attended trainings on how to set up tours and attract visitors.