Tarqui Pequeños is a six-producer blend of caturra and variedad colombia from brothers Alberto, Alex, and Samuel Osorio, with coffees from Aso-Tarqui leader Francy Osorio, and Nilson Yunda and Darabiel Osorio.
In the highlands of central-eastern Huila lies the municipality of Tarqui. Steep hills, several microclimates and soil types, and a plethora of tiny growers gives all who love Colombian coffees, an array of profiles.
We get this coffee from a very special independent association of small growers called Aso-Tarqui. Member-funded and run, the group collaborates to improve their processing and connect with buyers. The group was formed by Francy Elena Osorio Criollo, a young and talented woman who understands the power of a collective in improving coffee quality and access to buyers, and she’s truly dedicated to improving the lives of her community members.
There is a farmer-to-farmer training program in ecological and regenerative land stewardship. This program is where farmer experts from another group in Tolima (ASOPEP), and Aso-Tarqui coordinate a workshop that focused on post-harvest processing best-practices alongside training in organic agriculture trouble-shooting. Like in many rural areas, many members of the association are members of a few families. A collaborative and familial spirit means that ideas spread quickly, and there’s a cooperative sense as family members guide each other through new processing regimes. Family members share tips as many of them lessen their dependence on synthetic chemical inputs, and organic farms with healthy and more resistant trees and nutrient-rich soils offer themselves as guides, showing both yield benefits, as well as the reduced on-farm costs.
This blend of coffees has lots from Aso Tarqui members, along with coffees from the
Osorio family- brothers Samuel, Alex, and Alberto, and their cousin Darabiel. The brothers are all really motivated in specialty coffee- they’ve improved dryers, implemented new processing techniques, and invested in infrastructure for “bio-labs”- vessels for creating fermented, organic brews to improve plant health. Their cousin Darabiel has really led the way in organic processing- he’s applied lots of organic compost, with plenty of help from his worm farm, and his wastewater cleansing system is one of the more advanced ones
in the area!
PROCESSING
Members of the group have learned to pick ripe cherries, giving cherries as much time as possible to build mucilage and for skins to soften their astringency with sun exposure.
The association has done tests with Brix readers to determine the optimum picking point
for different varieties. Most group members de-pulp coffee, and then ferment without
water- some in an open tank, and others in sealed pickle barrels- before washing the
coffee. Producers in the region often rub the parchment with their hands to make sure
that the fermentation is complete and that no mucilage remains. Drying is low and slow between 10-15 days to bring moisture levels down to around 11%.
This is another farmgate coffee that is great as espresso.
Cupping Notes: Yellow fruit, toasted almonds, and cherry
Brew Recommendations: Drip, French press, pour-over and espresso
Varietals: Caturra and Variedad Colombia
Region: Huila
Processing Method: Wet process (washed) and patio sun-dried
Equity and Transparency Pricing Levels
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Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below
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Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below
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Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below
