Colombia - Gigante Huila 2021

 Origin:  Colombia 

 Region: Gigante Huila 

Variety: Yellow & Red Criollos/ Various Hybrids

 Crop: 2021

 Flavor Notes:

We only have a small amount of this chocolate lover's chocolate so get it while you can.  There is only about 200 lb.

The aroma is a lovely mix of dried cherry and light raisin.  Chocolate is the primary flavor here and is an incredibly approachable chocolate.  That is not to say it is boring but instead familiar.  The acidity is mouthwatering instead of sharp.  It is pomegranate and sour cherry (in that good juicy way).  In the same way this is an approachable everyday eating chocolate it is also a fruity chocolate for people who don't think they like fruity chocolate.  There is nothing challenging here, with the bitterness and astringency simply giving structure and balancing out the malt sweetness. 

Once again we have taken the last of stock of a bean to bar maker that has tossed in the apron. They are from the town of Gigante in the Huila district of Colombia. 

These beans are carefully tended to by the ASOCAGIGANTE association in Huila, Colombia. The team is led by Raymondo Guzman Romero and Diego Gonzalez. Finca Casa Blanca was founded by Raymondo's ancestors in the early 1800's and today has some of the oldest cacao tree's in Colombia.

Fermentation: 5-7 Days in oak covered with banana leaves

Drying: 15 days in plastic tunnels on raised beds

Drum Roasting

The drum roasting profile I used for the evaluation sample was 14:15/16:15/20:15 @ 255 F.  With all the chocolate and lack of nut you can treat this with a heavy hand.  2 minutes in the development phase brings out the chocolate and fruit.  I only stopped this at 4 minutes and at 255 F as the aroma clued me in by turning a little sharp. 

Behmor Roaster

Roast 2 lb and use P1 on the one pound setting, for 19-20 minutes or until you hear a pop or two.  Then take it longer.  2-3 minutes.  It is virtually impossible to over roast in the Behmor with 2 lb in there.  If you are using the current model with Manual control, turning down the power to P4 (75% power) when it starts to become aromatic (or smells sharp) is a nice way to keep the EOR tempering in check.

Oven Roasting

Pre-heat your oven to 325 F. Put 1-2 lb of beans onto a tray single layer deep.  Check the temperature every 5 minutes, stirring at that time.  When the beans are in the 205-215 range, reduce the oven temperature to about 10-15 F above your target EOR, so if you are going for 255 F, set it to 270 F.   When the beans reach your desired temperature and/or are smelling sharp, another 15-30 minutes, remove them and let them cool. This should give you a nice fully developed roasted bean that is in little danger of being over roasted.