Bolivia Illimani Lot 10
BOLIVIA
ILLIMANI LOT 10
TURTLE BROWNIES, CHOCOLATE + DRIED FRUIT
Illimani Lot 10 is our second community release and it captivates with its rich and full-bodied character. Cleaner than ever before, this coffee is a sweet treat that showcases dessert-like qualities. It reminds us of luscious turtle brownies, with deep notes of rich chocolate and dried fruit.
As you savor each mouthful, you'll experience a body reminiscent of biting into a handful of plump, fresh currants. The sweetness is further enhanced by a lingering honey-like quality that rounds out the flavor profile, creating a truly satisfying and memorable coffee experience.
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Carnavi, Bolivia
PRODUCER: Various smallholder producers
ELEVATION: 1350-1740 masl
VARIETY: Catuai and Typica
PROCESS: Washed/12-14 hours dry in steel tanks/15-20 days on raised beds
TASTING NOTES: Turtle brownies, chocolate and dried fruit.
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Caranavi's coffee history dates back to the 1960s, following Bolivia's agricultural reform. The region gained prominence in the 1990s, with heavy investment and interest from the private sector, although the focus was primarily on volume rather than quality. In the early 2000s, international development agencies, such as USAID, made significant investments to promote quality coffee production as an alternative to coca. This led to improved infrastructure, training in Good Agricultural Practices, and a more technified and developed coffee industry.
Over the past 15 years, coffee has become a significant part of Caranavi's identity and culture. The town square proudly displays "Province of Caranavi: Bolivian Coffee Capital," and coffee shops can be found everywhere. The municipality and central government have invested in coffee quality competitions, and the Ministry of Rural Development has implemented a seedling program to encourage coffee production.
The average farm size in Illimani is 2-3 hectares, with coffee being the primary source of income for some producers. However, most farmers also cultivate fruits such as pineapples, oranges, tangerines, and limes for family consumption, local markets, or larger-scale city sales. The barter system is common, with producers trading fruit for other supplies like rice and potatoes.
During the coffee harvest season, Illimani bustles with activity. Producers sell their coffee in cherry form, and heavily modified Toyota Ipsums transport the cherries from the mountains to collection stations. These stations are open daily from 5 pm until midnight, after which the coffee is transported to a centralized washing station for processing.
While smaller farms rely on family labor, most producers hire harvesters from Caranavi. Due to the increasing number of new farms, there is a shortage of labor. Much of the coffee is shade-grown, although recent trainings have promoted practices focused on increasing productivity, sometimes at the expense of shade trees.
Producers in Illimani are well-versed in traditional coffee farming practices, and everyone knows how to produce a good washed coffee. With the widespread use of smartphones, producers now have direct access to the latest industry trends, leading to more experimentation with natural and alternative processing methods.
The future of Bolivian coffee production looks promising, with a new, younger generation getting involved. Some older producers have handed their farms over to the next generation, and many producers are in their 30s and early 40s, bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the industry.
General Brewing Instructions
- Filtered water. Spring water is ideal. Removing chloride, sulfur, and iron is essential.
- A burr grinder. The more even the coffee particles, the better the coffee. Burr grinders, whether manual or electric, will do a better job than "whirly-blade" grinders. Invest in a burr grinder. Your taste buds (and coffee roaster) will thank you.
- A scale. I know using a scale can seem a bit like you're doing something you shouldn't be. Trust me, you can only brew consistently great coffee with a scale. Water and coffee are hard to measure without one.
- Clean equipment. Properly cleaning your equipment is the only way to avoid stale and rancid coffee flavors entering your cup. Please keep your equipment clean. The sooner and more often you clean your gear, the easier it will be in the long run. Add it to your ritual and thank us later.
- Delicious and freshly roasted Color Coffee
- Hario V60 02. Check out Scott Rao's video on how to brew a better pourover than your local cafe does.
- French Press. Check out James Hoffman's video on how to brew a next level cup.
- Aeropress. Check out Tim Wendelboe's video on how to brew an exceptionally easy and delicious cup.
Coffee Faq
IS YOUR COFFEE ORGANIC OR FAIR TRADE?
In many cases, yes. However, our first priority is quality and flavor. Sometimes these priorities align and our producers are certified organic and/or fair trade. We always pay well above fair trade rates (which are quite low and don’t guarantee sustainability or quality).
Often times, the producers we work with are too small to gain certifications. It’s expensive and laborious. Many of our producers are certified organic and fair trade, including many of our producers in Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME-FRAME TO DRINK MY COFFEE?
We recommend drinking our coffee within one month of the roast date. Most of our coffees taste best however within 2 - 14 days of roast date.
For espresso, we recommend using coffee that has rested at least 7 days after roast date. This is because coffee gives off CO2 after roasting that can interfere with extraction. One way to get around this is to let your ground espresso dose sit for 30-120 minutes before pulling the shot. Email info@colorroasters.com for more questions about this.
If you are pre-grinding the coffee, we recommend drinking the coffee within one week of grinding.
CAN YOU GRIND MY COFFEE ON WEB ORDERS?
Yes, we can. Please select how you want your coffee to be ground at the time you place your order. Simply click on the arrow beside "Grind" and make your selection. If you need help choosing let us know the brewing method you will be using to prepare the coffee, in the notes of the order. And we will be happy to grind the coffee for you on our commercial grinder.
DO YOU HAVE BREW RECIPES?
These are in the works! We are compiling a bunch and even shooting some video, to help you brew like us at home.
In the meantime...go here: Pour Overs | Aeropress to get some expert advice.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?