de Specialitate Corretto, Columbia Huila Piragua, 100% Arabica, 89 puncte SCA

Colombia Huila Piragua Specialty Coffee | Detailed Information and Description

🇨🇴 Origin: South America, Colombia, Huila region
👨‍🌾 Producer: Alexander Vargas — La Piragua farm (microlot)
🌱 Variety: Pink Bourbon
⛰️ Altitude: 1,850 m
💧 Processing: Anaerobic Natural
🔥 Roast profile: Light
☕ Tasting notes: Strawberry jam, Pineapple, Cherries
🏆 SCA score: 89 points
⚙️ Recommended for: Filter (V60, Chemex) and espresso
⏳ Optimal degassing: 7–14 days from the roast date
📦 Colombia Huila Piragua specialty coffee is available in 200 g bags

Huila: Colombia’s most celebrated region

For many coffee lovers, Huila is the pinnacle of Colombian coffee. Located in the south of the country, between mountain ranges and high valleys, it has exactly the combination coffee loves: high altitude, volcanic soil, and a climate that lets coffee cherries ripen slowly. At 1,850 meters, at La Piragua farm, slow ripening means more sugar builds up in the fruit—that’s where the sweetness and lively acidity you taste in the cup come from. It’s no coincidence that Huila produces some of the country’s most award-winning lots year after year.

The producer: Alexander Vargas

Alexander entered the world of coffee at age 15, following in his parents’ footsteps. At 20, he got serious about specialty coffee, and more than two decades have passed since then, during which he has experimented with varieties and processing methods. At La Piragua farm, he uses advanced techniques—including anaerobic fermentation—with varieties like Pink Bourbon and Geisha, and his lots have earned him recognition in national coffee competitions.

To keep quality from being left to chance, he built a lab right on the farm, where he evaluates and grades his own production. He has also diversified the crops—introducing dragon fruit (pitaya) so the farm can earn income year-round—and mentors younger growers in the area. For him, coffee is more than a job: it’s a story of patience and respect for doing things well.

Tasting profile: strawberry jam, pineapple, cherries

Piragua is an explosion of red fruit. Its aroma brings ripe strawberries, almost like jam; the first sip delivers sweet pineapple and cherry, while the wine-like acidity keeps everything lively without being sharp. Delicate floral notes emerge beneath the fruit, and a hint of dark chocolate lingers at the finish, balancing the sweetness. The aftertaste is clean and long.

This is a coffee you can really enjoy—lively, juicy, and clear. As it cools, the fruit flavors become even rounder, and the sweetness comes forward.

How to brew Colombia Huila Piragua at home

Piragua is a fruit-forward coffee, and filter brewing is where those fruit notes shine brightest. In a V60, it’s lively and clear; as espresso, it becomes a dense, sweet cup. Here are recipes for both.

V60 Recipe

Dose: 15 g of coffee for 250 ml of water
Grind: medium-fine (slightly finer than for a typical washed coffee)
Water temperature: 92–94°C
Total time: 2:45–3:15 minutes

Start with the paper: place the filter in the V60 and pour a little hot water over it, enough to wet it thoroughly. It may seem like a step you could skip, but it does two things—it removes the papery smell and warms the vessel, so the water doesn’t cool just when you need it hot. Then discard that water and add the coffee. Make a small well in the center, like a nest, and first pour just 40–50 ml of water, enough to saturate all the grounds. You’ll see them “breathe” and foam—that’s fresh coffee releasing its gases. Let it sit for half a minute, then pour the rest of the water in circles, from the center outward, in three or four pours, without rushing. From the first pour to the last drip, it should take about 2:45–3:15 minutes.

In a V60, Piragua reveals all its fruit. Strawberry and cherry come through first, pineapple adds a refreshing note in the middle, and the wine-like acidity keeps the cup lively through the chocolate finish. It’s a coffee to enjoy, not analyze—though if you let it cool a little, you’ll discover even more fruit in it.

☕ Corretto Tip: With a coffee this fruity, temperature controls the balance. A higher temperature (94 °C) brings out the acidity and lively character. A gentler temperature (90 °C) emphasizes sweetness and ripe fruit. Start at 92 °C and adjust to your taste.

Espresso Recipe

Espresso Recipe

Dose: 18 g (fine grind)
Yield: 38–42 g in the cup
Water temperature: 92–94 °C
Extraction time: 27–32 seconds

As espresso, Piragua becomes dense and sweet, with red fruit up front and a chocolate finish. Distribute the coffee evenly and tamp level so the water flows evenly.

☕ Corretto Tip: Because this coffee is juicy and acidic, it works well as a slightly shorter espresso—that way, the sweetness and fruit stay in balance. If it tastes too sour, make the grind slightly coarser or lower the temperature by 1–2 °C.

Choose the right grind

Colombia Huila Piragua coffee is available from us at the coffee shop as whole beans or ground to order, depending on how you prefer your order. If you’re not sure which grind size is right for you, we’ve put together a complete guide to the four grind types—Espresso, Filter, Turkish Coffee, and French Press—with settings, ratios, and practical tips for each. You’ll find it in the “Grind Types” tab on this page.