Los Nogales Caturra | Mucilage EA Decaf | Colombia

*NOTE: due to the natural mossto processing and mucilage EA decaffeination, this coffee will appear very dark on the exterior even though it is roasted very light and delicately. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Crafted at Los Nogales, this extremely vibrant, fruit-forward decaf showcases one of the rarest decaffeination methods in the world, delivering tropical intensity preserved through mucilage EA processing. This is currently the most extreme coffee we offer!

Origin Details

• Farm: Los Nogales
• Region: Pitalito, Huila, Colombia
• Altitude: 1,870 to 2,000 meters above sea level
• Area: 20.5 hectares
• Shade: Native trees
• Variety: Caturra
• Process: natural anaerobic washed, mucilage decaffeinated using mossto as the natural EA solvent

Flavor Notes

• Jackfruit
• Passionfruit
• Pineapple
• Coconut

Why This Decaf Is Extremely Rare

Mucilage EA decaf, sometimes called mossto decaf, is one of the rarest decaffeination approaches in the world. Instead of using standard ethyl acetate derived from sugarcane, this method uses a natural solvent created from the coffee’s own fermented mucilage. The result is an intensely aromatic, fruit-saturated cup with brightness and complexity almost never found in decaf.

This lot shares the same origin and decaf method as the coffee that helped Weihong Zhang secure the 2024 U.S. Brewers Cup Championship, marking the first time a decaffeinated coffee won the competition. That historic achievement underscores just how exceptional and rare this mucilage EA decaf offering really is. And the Nogales farm has only refined its approach since then. Lab results show this lot contains just 0.13 mg of caffeine per 100 g, effectively 99.87% caffeine-free.

Processing Details

1. Harvest
Fully ripe Caturra cherries are selectively handpicked at peak sugar concentration.

2. Floatation
Cherries are submerged in water to remove underripe or defective fruit.

3. Anaerobic Cherry Fermentation for 24 Hours
Whole cherries ferment in sealed, oxygen-free tanks, building aromatic precursors that develop into tropical ester intensity.

4. Washing
Fermented cherries are washed to remove external mucilage and prepare for controlled drying.

5. Drying on Raised Beds
The coffee is slow-dried on traditional raised African beds for uniform airflow and moisture stabilization.

6. Hulling
Once fully dried, parchment is removed, producing Excelso-grade green coffee — only this grade is used for decaffeination.

More info on Caturra cherries here.

Resting Time: 2-4 days