Coffee of the Month: Colombia, Rigoberto Andrade

Rigoberto inherited the farm from his mother, Maria de los Angeles Quintero Menza, over 30 years ago. At that time, he decided to grow coffee and planted 500 Chapolas of Castillo, with the support of his wife and their seven children. Over the years, the Chapolas bore fruit, and he now has 2 hectares of coffee. Around the coffee fields, he also grows corn, cassava, and plantain. The coffee is harvested by six workers, who start picking from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. After harvesting, the coffee is depulped and left to ferment for 24 hours. Then it is washed and dried.

Monserrate is a town that belongs to the municipality of La Plata, located in the southwestern part of the Huila department, on the eastern slope of the Central Andes Mountain Range. The town is situated in mountainous land, which also includes some flat or gently rolling areas. Prominent geographical features in the region include the Sierra Nevada de los Coconucos, and the Serranías de las Minas and Yarumal. The region experiences diverse climate zones, including warm lowlands, cooler highlands, and páramo ecosystems, all sustained by the Aguacatal, La Plata, and Páez rivers.

We first purchased this coffee in September 2024 after one of our coffee buyers, Doug Griffin, attended the “Lo Mejor de Monserrate” microlot, single producer competition in Colombia. The coffee won 3rd place that year. This year Rigoberto’s coffee was in the top 10. He produced just 6 bags (924lb.) and we proudly purchased all of it.