COLOMBIA MIRIAM QUESADA

blackberry, vanilla, plum, grape

Farm/coop/station: Finca El Guayacan

Region: Huila

Altitude: 1550 masl

Owner: Miriam Quesada Enciso & Libardo Enciso

Varietal: Striped Pink Bourbon

Process: Anaerobic Natural

Miriam Quesada Enciso is a second-generation coffee producer. She has been cultivating coffee on the farm since 2005. The volcanic loam soil is nutrient-rich and excellent for growing coffee. In addition to coffee, Miriam and her husband Libardo also cultivate plantain and yucca, and they are working on improving coffee harvesting methods and ensuring that workers pick only ripe, red cherry. Once coffee is harvested, they float cherry and remove any lightweights. They deliver cherry to a separate drying facility. Cherry is turned frequently to ensure even drying.  

The 'striped bourbon' varietal is naturally occurring mutation of Pink Bourbon that has light stripes on the cherry skin. This mutation was discovered in Huila, Colombia.

Pink Bourbon was previously thought to be a hybrid of Yellow and Red Bourbon varieties. The variety was first identified growing in and around Huila, Colombia. Recent research has found that Pink Bourbon is in fact not Bourbon at all. Pink Bourbon mostly likely comes from an Ethiopian landrace variety.

Pink Bourbon has a stunningly high cup potential that wows coffee professionals and consumers alike. Its impressively high cup quality makes even more sense now that we understand Pink Bourbon is not simply a hybrid of two Bourbon varieties but traces to Ethiopian landraces. Its siblings include the highly-prized Geisha, which has consistently produced incredibly high cup scores. Pink Bourbon will continue to be a highly distinguished and valued variety.

Some farmers also report that Pink Bourbon has more disease resistance than the Bourbons it grows alongside. Based on these new discoveries, this may be due to the genetic variety it has coming from Ethiopian landraces.