About the producer
Dreaming of making a name for themselves in the history of coffee, Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo settled in Pitalito, Nariño, eighty years ago. They found their paradise and raised eight children, each devoted to agriculture. One of them – Ricaurte Hernández – shined the brightest, steering his family towards a lasting legacy in the world of coffee.
Cherishing values like generosity and humility, Ricaurte’s life revolved around coffee farming. Together with Suldery Arango, his entrepreneurial partner from Valle del Cauca, he raised a family and built a coffee empire. Ricaurte was not just a farmer. He was a visionary, constantly seeking innovative practices in coffee cultivation and business. Tragically, his life was cut short in 2013 caused by violence in the Colombian countryside. He left a legacy of resilience and inspiration for coffee farmers nationwide.
After Ricaurte’s death, his family considered selling the farm. But the youngest son and a former naval officer Oscar Fernando chose to honor his father’s legacy by taking over the farm. Initially having seen farm life as a punishment, Oscar grew to appreciate it.
His experience in environmental management and his commitment to sustainable practices have propelled Los Nogales into an innovative center of coffee production.
About the farm
Today, Los Nogales not only produces high-quality coffe, but also sets focus on research, technological innovation and environmental stewardship. The family’s approach to coffee cultivation starts with selecting the best seed stock and using organic fertilizers, aiming to produce a coffee bean of unparalleled quality.
The harvesting process at Los Nogales is meticulous, involving over thirty skilled pickers. The farm’s innovative processing techniques – including a unique fermentation process and eco-friendly practices – reflect Oscar’s vision of blending tradition with modernity, ensuring the Hernández family continues to make a significant impact in the industry.
About the process
Although it tastes different, it’s technically a washed coffee because it is pulped before processing. The fermentation process, e.g. guaranteeing that the hardness of the water and the PH are optimal, is at a microbiological level controlled by Oscar’s sister Angie, who studied industrial engineering and applies all her scientifical background to coffee.
After the manual selection and disinfection of the bean, a fermentation is carried out for approximately 120 hours. During that process the sugars disolves and have a major impact in the flavor and acidity of the coffee. Further a pre-yeast – like in sourdough bread – of the same coffee is added, creating unique characteristics.
An eco-washer allows them to use the least amount of water possible and remove the honey that is the product of fermentation. The residues are reused to turn them into fertilisers and commit to caring for the environment.
The Los Nogales farm, under the leadership of some enterprising brothers, gives a new perspective to the world of the countryside, adding innovation, science and technology and ecological responsibility. Strengthening a social community, Oscar Hernández bears the name of his father as a tribute to the legacy he has left to the world of coffee.