Medium Roast
$19.50 | 12 oz
Castillo, Colombia
Counter Culture only roasts the coffea arabica, but, under the species of arabica, we buy dozens of different coffee varieties from around the world. Learn more about varieties here.
Washed
Processing is the method to turn the fruit from a coffee tree into dried green coffee ready for roasting.
1,800–1,950 meters
This refers to the elevation at which this coffee was grown.
Through early-January 2021
This refers to the amount of time this coffee will be available for purchase at Counter Culture. Availability is determined by supply and also when the coffee tastes the freshest.
This coffee reflects a unique and developing purchasing model for Counter Culture. We were first introduced to farmers in Nariño in 2012 through the Borderlands project that was initiated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Before this project, most farmers here had never met a coffee buyer or had any insight into—or recognition for—the quality of the coffee they produce. Through this project, producers have banded together to sell their coffees to roasters and importers, creating a new business model of quality-differentiated coffee previously unseen in Nariño.
Since the outset, we've provided feedback to farmers on their coffees and also committed to purchasing lots from different communities around the region. Our purchasing has grown in tandem with the growth of the association and farmers’ commitment to the program. Urcunina is the crown jewel of our community lots from the place we fell in love with Nariño coffee—La Florida.
Last year, the Urcunina community opened a central washing station, a first for the region and one of the only of its kind in Colombia. Centralizing processing will allow farmers to deliver cherry, instead of dried parchment, decreasing the time and labor spent on processing and drying without sacrificing quality. The technology at the washing station––most importantly, wastewater treatment systems, which are prohibitively expensive for most small farms––will help minimize this coffee’s environmental impact. The washing station opened mid-harvest last year so not much coffee was produced there, but we selected their best lot and decaffeinated it for this product.
Pronounced: (err COO nina)
