Colombia Finca Milan Culturing Nitro Fermentation Catiope 2023

Finca Milan | Nitrogen Fermentation Process Coffee

Colombia loves to excite us with new and innovative processing methods like this unique nitro washed coffee. At Finca La Riviera, where the coffee processing for Finca Milan takes place, producer Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes designed and perfected different fermentation protocols for a variety of methods, including washed, honey, natural, cold press, culturing, and nitrogen fermentations.

In the nitrogen fermentation process, ripe coffee cherries are subjected to embryonic stress so that the temperature of the cherries rises and falls to 12 degrees, keeping them in the best condition for further processing.

After pulping, the beans are placed in a bioreactor and inoculated with starter cultures (yeast and bacteria) and fruit must. The bioreactor is sealed and injected with nitrogen to facilitate the metabolic processes of the microorganisms. During this time, temperature, acidity, and Brix degrees are closely monitored against past data in order to time the end of the fermentation stage and initiate oxidation.

After leaving the bioreactor, the coffee beans are dried in solar dryers to 40% moisture then transferred to mechanical dryers until reaching 10% - 12% moisture. The resting period in the warehouse is around 45 days before the coffee is hulled and prepared for export.

Julio Cesar Madrid and Finca Milan

Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes is a third-generation coffee grower, and Finca Milan, a 250-hectare estate, has been in his family for over 40 years. Together with two other farms, Finca Riviera and Finca Buenos Aires, his family’s estates have won multiple awards and championships. Most recently, Italian barista, Danielle Ricci earned second place in the World Barista Championships in Athens, Greece.

Located in the central foothills of the Andes Mountains within the Risaralda Department, Finca Milan’s young soil is enriched with nutrients from the relatively recent eruptions of nearby volcanoes. The wide thermal range of the microclimate reaches up to 30ºC in the daytime and can drop to 15ºC in the evening, allowing coffee cherries to develop complex and unique flavors. Of Finca Milan’s 250 hectares, 220 grow coffee with a focus on Caturra, Castillo, Pink Bourbon, and Catiope varietals.

Catiope Coffee Variety

The Catiope coffee cultivar is a cross between Colombian Caturra and an Ethiopian landrace, hence the name “CAT(urra) + (e)TIOPE.” Developed in an experimental station operated by CENICAFE in Cauca, the cultivar is valued for its low-growing, high-bearing trees and high cup quality.

Colombia Green Coffee

Colombia boasts an extraordinary array of microclimates that all lend themselves to an incredible variety of high-quality coffees. Over half a million families dedicate their livelihoods to producing unroasted Colombia green coffee on small farms that dot the country’s volcanic mountain ranges. As the world’s third-largest producing country, the volume, quality, and variety that comes out of Colombia year-round is staggering. Read more in our Colombia origin report here.