Finca Sausalito FW - Felipe Rincon

Felipe Rincon produced this exceptional lot on his 12-hectare farm, Finca Sausalito. His land lies high in the hills outside of the town of La Palma, Manizales within the famous Colombian coffee-growing region of Caldas. Felipe is a member of the Cooperativa de Productor de Cafes Especiales (Coopcafes), which was founded in 2018 to help farmers combat low C market prices transitioning to specialty coffee production. The cooperative is comprised of 21 producer associations in Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio and helps their members improve the quality of their production so that they can access more lucrative specialty markets. In addition to agricultural extension services, the cooperative has established a wet mill that can process lots using experimental techniques such as anaerobic or yeast fermentation. The wet mill also offers an ideal drying set up to help ensure optimal quality for every coffee. A new cupping lab enables farmers to judge the success of their experimental processes, discover new ways to improve their coffee and evaluate their lots before sale. Knowledge of their coffees’ value gives farmers more bargaining power and can help them capture more value from their coffees. Their efforts have already borne fruit. They have seen extraordinary improvements in their few years of operation. While at the beginning few farmers were producing coffee with cup scores above 84 points, they now have over 17 growers producing lots that consistently score over 85.

Felipe has been focusing on improving the quality of his coffee with the help of Coopcafes, a cooperative working in Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio. Through the coop, Felipe receives training in a wide range of Best Agricultural Practices. Agricultural extension workers teach workshops in harvesting, post-harvest processing and drying methods. These same professionals also conduct soil analyses and help farmers determine the proper fertilization practices. Many members of the cooperative have begun planting more highly-sought-after varieties, such as Bourbon, Tabi, Catiope and even Geisha, in addition to the commonly cultivated Castillo and Colombia varieties. The weather in Caldas is well suited for agriculture. With two sets of distinct wet and dry seasons, there are two harvests annually and fresh coffee is available from Caldas most of the year. In addition to coffee, Felipe also grows bananas and nogal (Peruvian Walnut), which is commonly grown for its wood.

Felipe selectively handpicks his cherry and pulps it using an Ecopulper. After pulping, coffee is fermented and then washed in clean water before being laid to dry in the sun on raised beds or on the flat roof of his home. Parchment dries for approximately 12 days and then rests for 30 days before Felipe transports it to Invercafe Dry Mill in Chinchina, Caldas.

Parts of Caldas are located in Eje Cafetero, the Colombian Coffee Growing Axis. Eje Cafetero was the first major coffee-producing region in Colombia. For many years, the region held the distinction of being the most well-known and highly sought-after Colombian coffee region. Tropical rainforest conditions, volcanic soil and a wealth of rivers and streams in Eje Cafetero make the area ideal for coffee growing.

Today, producers in Caldas are increasingly focused on high-quality coffee production. These producers have become common and well-known enough to earn an affectionate colloquial name in the region. They’re called juiciosos (literally: sensible/wise), which in this case means hard-working and attentive to detail. In addition to finding ways to perfect existing processing methods, juiciosos are experimenting with new processing methods and planting new varieties of coffee.

Great coffee is built on great relationships. We’ve been working with our in-country partner in Colombia, Cafexport, to find farmers who are producing delicious coffees and connect them with you.Cafexport, our in-country partner, is built on the strength of 20 years of meaningful and productive relationships with Colombian coffee cooperatives.

Most of the coffees we purchase from Cafexport are the product of many years of partnership between Cafexport, cooperatives, and farmers. Many are also certified, traceable coffees whose certification, combined with high quality processing and preparation, are sought after by established roasters across the globe.

The majority of the cooperatives with whom we work through Cafexport are from the regions of Caldas, Huila, Tolima, Antioquia, Quindío, Santander, and Magdalena. We like to keep our list of sourcing regions long because diversification allows us to offer coffee with different specifications, flavors and harvest and shipping times to suit every need.