From Colombia to Your Cup: The Journey of a Botero Coffee Bean

A cup of coffee is the perfect start to the day for billions of people worldwide. Despite it being the most popular prepared beverage in the Western world, the origins of coffee remain a mystery to many.

At Botero, we’re here to demystify the coffee-making process and bring you closer to your favorite drink. In this blog, we’re sharing the entire journey of a Botero coffee bean from our partners’ fincas to your morning mug.

Growing 

Each cup of coffee brewed from a Botero bean starts the same way: on a family farm in Quindío, Colombia. Located in the global coffee belt, Quindío’s warm environment, high elevation, and consistent rainfall combine to create ideal conditions and allow multiple growing seasons each year. 

A variety of Arabica coffee trees are grown here, including Castillo, Caturra, Cenicafe, and Pink Bourbon. These plants produce fruits called cherries, and the seed of the fruit is the coffee bean. When the coffee cherries are ready to be picked, they turn a deep red or purple. 

Harvesting 

Harvesting coffee is done one of two ways: strip picked or selectively picked. With strip picking, all cherries are taken off the branch at the same time, regardless of ripeness. Selective picking is more labor-intensive, with pickers harvesting only the ripest cherries while rotating between trees. Some harvesters use machines, but at Botero, our producers hand-pick every cherry at peak ripeness. Though the process is time consuming, it’s one of the ways we ensure quality at every point in the coffee-making process.

Processing 

After the coffee has been grown and harvested, there are several ways to process the cherries, with producers often including proprietary aerobic or anaerobic fermentations for differentiation. 

• The natural process, or the dry method, involves drying coffee cherries in the sun before hulling. 

• The washed method involves removing the skin and pulp prior to drying. 

• Honey processing is a combination of wet and dry processing. With this method, the pulp is removed, but some of the mucilage is left behind while it dries. 

Fermenting coffees with different amounts of fruit still attached to the seed introduce additional fruit sugars to the fermentation, allowing for different flavors to develop. These processes and the drying afterward are referred to as “wet milling.” When this step is complete, the beans are hulled, or “dry milled” on site at the Botero mill to remove any remaining fruit pieces. 

Botero produces coffee processed all three ways, resulting in a variety of tasting notes. Some of our coffee is co-fermented with fruit during processing, deepening the unique flavor profiles we have to offer. 

For green coffee, the bean’s journey with Botero ends here. Botero’s green coffee is perfect for small businesses or hobbyist roasters, and can result in various unique, delicious notes such as chocolate nibs, blueberries, or orange blossoms, depending on the roaster’s preference. 

Roasting 

Once processed, coffee beans are transferred to roasting machines that turn continuously to prevent burning. The beans are brought to an internal temperature of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit where they turn a familiar, deep brown color, and are then cooled. This part of the journey deepens the flavor of the coffee beans, enhancing existing tasting notes. The longer beans are roasted, the richer they taste. 

At Botero, our beans are meticulously roasted to deliver a perfect balance of flavor, aroma, and freshness. Botero offers medium roast, medium-light roast, and medium-dark roast for a variety of intensities, making coffees great for drip, pour over, espresso, cold brew, and more.

Grinding

Botero offers whole bean coffee for peak freshness. Whole bean coffee allows you to grind each cup right before brewing, releasing flavor profiles and aromas that disappear from pre-ground coffee before the grinds hit your coffee maker.

Get Personal With the Process

Interested in the coffee-making process? Come see it for yourself! Join one of our origin trips and meet your coffee at the source. Tour our farms, sample some fresh brews, and experience the unique coffee culture Colombia has to offer. 

Explore Botero’s selection of coffee varieties and try our fresh Colombian coffee today!