Colombia El Obraje

Roast Description / Brewing
A light-roasted washed Colombia from the Nariño region with a vibrant and complex profile. Expect high acidity and high sweetness, it reminds us a lot about green apple. Best brewed as a pour-over with a 1:15 ratio to highlight its clarity, but it also performs well in a regular coffee maker.

Delivery Terms
Our coffee is roasted and shipped only between Tuesdays and Thursdays to ensure the best possible quality and freshness. Since each coffee has its own specific profile, roast dates may vary, but we guarantee that it will never be older than two weeks from roast date at the time of delivery. What we can promise is that the coffee will always be fresh and taste great when it reaches you.

History

Mr. Pablo Guerrero introduced coffee cultivation to the Tangua region, just outside the city of Pasto, in 2000. Hacienda El Obraje had been in his family for generations and was originally dedicated to growing wheat and other grains. However, when Colombia began importing large quantities of grain in the 1990s, wheat farming was no longer economically sustainable. Determined to find a new path, Pablo spent the next decade experimenting with fruit crops such as apples and peaches. Despite promising harvests, the logistical challenges of transporting fresh fruit to market ultimately made fruit production unprofitable.

In 2000, Pablo shifted his focus to coffee. He began with traditional cultivation methods and initially lacked his own processing facility. By 2009, he had established a wet mill, allowing Hacienda El Obraje to process its own coffee and enter the specialty coffee market. Never content to stand still, Pablo continued experimenting with new coffee varieties and processing methods, producing both washed and natural coffees. Planting coffee at such a high elevation was considered a gamble, as few believed the trees would thrive. Instead, they flourished, paving the way for other producers in the region to follow his example.

The distinctive cup profile of El Obraje coffee is shaped by the farm's remarkable climate and terrain. Daily temperatures can fluctuate dramatically, reaching 32°C at midday before dropping to 8°C—or even lower—at night. During the rainy season, persistent humidity makes drying coffee on raised beds particularly challenging. Because excess moisture could encourage disease, the farm initially avoided planting shade trees. Over time, however, the coffee adapted to its environment, and today low-density shade trees are carefully integrated throughout the farm. These dramatic temperature swings contribute to exceptionally dense coffee beans while also producing smaller, more compact trees than those found in other Colombian coffee-growing regions. Limited rainfall is another challenge, and selected lots are irrigated using water collected in the farm's retention pond.

Nestled among the volcanic mountains of Nariño, Hacienda El Obraje benefits from mineral-rich, rocky soils that contribute to the character of its coffee. The farm operates its own nursery, where seeds are planted directly into 2-kilogram soil bags and nurtured until they are ready for transplantation into the field. To promote healthy growth, each tree receives a balanced fertilization program consisting of 1–2 kilograms of organic fertilizer supplemented with approximately 300 grams of chemical fertilizer.

Spanning 100 hectares, Hacienda El Obraje is a breathtaking estate overlooking the river valleys of the Nariño mountains. What began as the transformation of a former apple orchard into a coffee farm has evolved into one of the region's pioneering specialty coffee estates. Pablo's background as an architect is evident in his thoughtful approach to farming, combining innovation, careful planning, and long-term sustainability to produce exceptional coffees while ensuring the health and future of the farm.

Farmer: Pablo Andres Guerrero
Farm: El Obraje
Region: Nariño 
Varieties: Caturra
Altitude: 2200m
Process: Washed
Flavor Profile: Green Apple, Apricot & Toffee