Belancan Yeast Honey, from Kintamani, Bali
The Belancan Yeast Honey lot comes from Belancan Village, Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, and is produced by Kanggo
In Spanish, Las Perlitas means “Little Pearls,” and throughout the harvest, it’s quite common for smallholders in Colombia to produce lots that aren’t large enough to be exported on their own. However, the quality is often just as good (or even better) than that of larger lots. As such, we purchase all coffees scoring 86+ points, regardless of size, and create a larger, export-size lot based on cup score and profile.
The result is Las Perlitas Fruity Profile, a celebrated Washed coffee composed of small lots from producers in Huila. Behind this lot are dedicated farmers like Deiro Gasca, Lizardo Imbachi, Erik Bravo, and Delfin Carvajal, whose farms, situated at elevations of 1,600 to 2,000 meters.
The “Fruity Profile” lot differences from Las Perlitas Pink Bourbon as it’s a blend of different fruity Colombian coffee varieties, such as Red and Pink Bourbon, Chiroso, Caturra, Tabi.
Our selection process is extremely rigorous. Every small lot is cupped multiple times before being included in the final blend. In addition to ensuring cup quality, each coffee must meet strict physical criteria, including moisture content and water activity, in line with our stringent guidelines.
The little pearls from Colombia
Las Perlitas is a clear example of how we can help smallholder farmers receive a fair payment for their quality. Our selection procedure is very strict, and we use the same standard with each micro-lot or constructed lot. Every small lot is individually cupped various times before being included within the main lot. In addition to cup quality, each coffee must meet strict physical requirements, based on our guidelines for moisture content and water activity.
The first time a lot is cupped is when the producer brings a sample to our buying station. Once approved, the producer will then bring the lot down to the warehouse where it will be cupped again, taking a sample from each sack to ensure consistency. After final approval, the parchment coffee is packed in Grainpro bags and remains untouched until the entire lot is milled in Medellín.
You might already know that Colombia has a tropical climate with high humidity which makes it extremely difficult to produce Naturals. The only way to get the same fruity flavours that resemble those of Naturals is to play with extended or other creative fermentations before washing.
The variations of fruity flavours of our specialty lots are created by manipulating different variables before, during and after the fermentation process, such as cleanliness, temperature, batch size, fermentation time and choices between dry or wet fermentations and more and more the addition of microorganisms. The time our coffee spends in the tanks and on the drying tables is usually much longer than for commercial coffee, but differs per farmer as climatic influences and logistical issues play a role. On average, Las Perlitas coffees ferment from 24 to 48h and sometimes up to 72! Drying time is around 7-14 days.
Coffee With Added Value
At The Coffee Quest, transparency is key—If you have any questions regarding our coffees, do not hesitate to reach out! We also encourage you to review our Impact Report for an in-depth look at our sustainable sourcing practices and projects.
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While you are here, discover our other coffees!
Belancan N2 Anaerobic Natural, from Kintamani, Bali
The Belancan N2 Anaerobic Natural lot comes from Belancan Village, Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, and is produced by Kanggo, a coffee farmer with 5 hectares of land at elevations of 1,200 to 1,400 meters above sea level
Manikliyu Honey, from Kintamani, Bali
The Manikliyu Honey lot comes from Manikliyu Village, Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, and is produced by Mudar, a coffee grower whose family has cultivated coffee for generations.
Eka’s Wet-Hull, from Kintamani, Bali
The Eka’s Wet-Hull lot comes from Dausa Village, Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, and is produced by Eka, a second-generation coffee grower who inherited his farm from his father.