DECAF HUILA - COLOMBIA

Located near the southwest area of the country with proximity to the Atlantic coast, the Huila region has a long-lasting history. It is the original site of the San Agustin Culture, which dates back to between 1000 BC and 1650 BC. Being a place of multiple archaeological discoveries, the UNESCO granted the recognition of cultural heritage of humanity to the archaeological parks that are in this region. Entering the pre-Columbian era, this region was inhabited by multiple indigenous communities, among them the most prominent were the Pijaos, Andaquies and Yalcones. Later, in the era of Spanish colonization, the province of Huila was officially founded in 1610, however, it was only until April 29 of 1905 that it was considered a department. Huila has 19,890 Km2 where more than 1 million people live. Huila has become the most important department for the coffee industry in Colombia. To date, this region has 144,120 hectares planted with coffee. This represents 17.2% of the total coffee production of Colombia. EA decaffeination is a natural process of decaffeinating coffee that involves using sugar cane to produce ethyl acetate. This process is commonly used in Colombia where sugar cane is readily available. The process begins by creating molasses from sugar cane, which is left to ferment. At the peak of fermentation, alcohol is added to create ethyl acetate. To apply this to coffee, green coffee is steamed in tanks to elevate the moisture level, then ethyl acetate is added to dissolve the caffeine in the coffee. The coffee is then washed with water and dried. Unlike other decaffeination methods, EA decaf avoids high pressure and high heat, preserving the natural terroir flavors of the coffee and resulting in a sweet and bright decaf.