Producer Info
Oporapa, Huila, Colombia | 1750 masl | Caturra Washed
Wilfredo and Yubeli have been one of the very first producers in south Huila to experiment and sell specialty coffee in the early 2000s. Starting with 1 hectare 25 years ago, they now own 5 hectares and keep enjoying and exploring the world of high quality coffee.
Caturra was widely adopted in Colombia from the 1970s onward, becoming the country’s dominant coffee varietal for several decades. Valued for its compact growth, high planting density, and good cup potential, it shaped modern Colombian coffee until leaf rust outbreaks led to its gradual replacement by resistant varieties.
Producers who continue cultivating Caturra are now rare. Wilfredo and Yubeli are among those nostalgic producers who refused to switch to resistant hybrids and continue to produce washed Caturra, the coffee that once defined the classic mild Arabica profile of Colombia.
They also introduced new varietals for diversification and risk management, including Pink Bourbon, Gesha, and Chiroso.
Most of their coffees are processed traditionally as washed. This caturra is depulped the day after picking and fermented in an open tank for 48 hours. They occasionally experiment with natural processes when weather conditions permit and sufficient space is available on their drying patios.
Wilfredo is deeply involved in specialty coffee. Over the years, he has produced excellent coffees, and their sale has allowed him to build a more comfortable home, acquire four additional hectares of land, and build a small lab in his house where he can analyze, roast, and cup his coffees. He has also built a coffee bar where he practices his barista skills.
None of this would have been possible without the support of his wife, Yubeli. Yubeli does all household tasks and prepares meals for the family & workers every day, from breakfast through dinner.
Their son, Chucho, is now in charge of processing all the coffees. He floats and hand-sorts the cherries, depulps them, oversees fermentation, and turns the parchment regularly on the drying patios to ensure even drying and top quality across all lots.
