Like so many coffee adventurers before, we have been searching for the perfect cup of coffee. After making a second visit to Colombia, Rob & Laurie Kramer, founders/owners of Island Coffee, became convinced that if there was a perfect coffee, it would be found there. Inspired by the often red sunsets over the mountainous Colombian landscape, the project was named "Cielo Rojo™" meaning Red Heaven. After a prolonged search of coffee farms, we feel that we have found a coffee worthy of the Cielo Rojo™ name. With a first cupping score of 93.5, scored by a respected Cup of Excellence juror, we are on our way to fulfilling this dream.

Cielo Rojo™ uses only fully ripened coffee cherries, and is sorted to a standard of being considered zero defects!

The seven farms that have been selected for the Cielo Rojo™ sustainable, relationship project are:

La Pradera Estate, grower Hector Morales
San Antonio Estate, grower Jesús Elias Soto
La Margarita Estate, grower Silvio de Jesús Lopez
La Esperanza Estate, grower Gustavo Gomez
Alto Bonito Estate, grower Fabio Giraldo Marin
La Palma Estate, grower Wilmar Morales Sanchez
Los Naranjos Estate, grower Jose Antonio Morales

The farms are individually owned by the growers and range in size from 1.5 to five hectares (1 hectare equals approximately 2.5 acres).

In order to be selected for the Cielo Rojo™ project, the coffee had to first meet and exceed the cup profile set forth by our panel of professional coffee cuppers. The cupping characteristics included a balanced cup with excellent brightness, chocolate & caramel tones, medium body, and a noteworthy finish.

Secondly, the farmers had to have a passion for fine coffee and the dedication to picking the coffee at the peak of ripeness. Since the farmer himself processes the coffee to parchment, the depulping and fermentation process is totally in his control for better or worse.

Thirdly, the entire process had to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. With guidance from the Coffee Federation of Colombia, training is on-going to ensure the proper use of fertilizers, when appropriate. Soil management and the proper treatment of fermentation and depulping waste water so as to render it biologically and chemically friendly to the environment is required.

As compensation for the growers passion for coffee and adherance to these mandates, they are rewarded for coffee significantly above the fair trades amount and the knowledge that they are the foundation for Cielo Rojo™ coffee.

Cielo Rojo™ is the farmers "Heaven In Your Cup".

Put some "Heaven in Your Cup" - Order Now!