Think about an energetic volcano. Prehistorically historic, towering, billows of white smoke engulfing its peak. Think about dwelling proper subsequent to it, and the huge pure park that surrounds it. Spending your childhood operating by way of the forests, sharing meals within the open sky beneath the shade of rolling mountainsides, elevating your loved ones within the sanctuary of a slim valley. Strive arduous sufficient, think about arduous sufficient, and also you would possibly end up in Consacá, a small city in Colombia’s Nariño district, within the nation’s deep south-west.
Misty Andean peaks in Galeras, the pure park on the outskirts of Consacá
One of many largest coffee-producing municipalities in Colombia, the world’s second-largest espresso producer, Consacá enjoys remarkably excellent rising circumstances: volcanic, nutrient-rich soil; comparatively low ranges of humidity; average temperatures, ranging between 18-24 levels Celsius year-round; and a wind-sheltered high-altitude surroundings, excellent for drying espresso cherries out within the open. This excellent agronomical cocktail is owed not solely to the Galeras volcano, but additionally to the municipality’s proximity to the imposing peaks of the Andean mountain vary, whose distinctive geography permits for Consacá’s espresso to be cultivated in extraordinarily excessive altitudes; some farms are positioned as excessive as 2300 meters above sea degree.
However dwelling within the shadow of Colombia’s most energetic volcano shouldn’t be with out its challenges. The mountain has spurted out smoke and lava on a number of events in recent times, and one among its newest eruptions, in 2010, led to the evacuation of 8000 of the realm’s inhabitants. Nonetheless, Consacà’s residents contemplate themselves not solely lucky to be having fun with the realm’s agricultural advantages, but additionally as being deeply tied to the volcano who looms above their lands. The township additionally prides itself for its significance in Colombian historical past – it was the bottom the place the locally-renowned ‘Battle of Bombona’ came about in 1822 between the forces of nationwide hero Simon Bolivar and the royal Spanish military.
Mountain vistas and farms method up within the clouds of Nariño
We have been launched to the distinctive coffees of the realm by our associates at Azahar, whose method to exporting espresso from Colombia shouldn’t be one you come throughout each day. Their ardour to advertise high-quality espresso consumption within the nation itself, quite than simply exporting all the finest heaps to international markets, is a vital step in the direction of establishing a stronger, more healthy espresso business in Colombia.
The prototypical Consacá cup is characterised by having distinct acidity, medium physique, and a well-balanced taste profile. The standard regional espresso can also be comprised of a number of small a number of Colombia, Castillo, and Caturra varietals – all cultivated, harvested and processed by native smallholder farmers and their households. The cherries are handled in a standard moist fermentation course of, and are then left to dry for 20 days.
