Colombia Gaitania Dark Roast

About the Coffee

The Nasa Wesx are an Indigenous community living across territories in Cauca, Huila, and Tolima, Colombia. This coffee comes from their producers in Gaitania, a small village in the Planadas municipality of Tolima. Planadas sits in a region with a distinct history: during Colombia's period of political conflict, both Liberal and Conservative parties found common ground there, and the area has carried a reputation for the warmth of its people ever since.

The coffee is washed process, meaning the fruit is removed from the cherry before the beans are dried. This approach tends to produce a cleaner, more consistent cup and lets the character of the bean come through clearly. The Nasa Wesx grow their coffee at elevation in Tolima, a department known for producing some of Colombia's most consistent lots due to its mountainous terrain and stable growing conditions.

Alternate Route offers this coffee in both a light and dark roast, using the same washed lot from Gaitania. The dark roast is full-bodied and holds up well across brew methods, from drip to French press to espresso.

About Alternate Route

Alternate Route Coffee Co. was started by Ian and Kellie Wahl in Alberta, Canada. What began as a shared idea between the two grew into a roastery based just outside Edmonton, near the Edmonton International Airport. The operation is now led by Kellie Wahl alongside Head Roaster Corie Sackville, and the team is majority women-owned and women-run.

They roast in small batches on a Probat P12, a German-made drum roaster known for producing even, consistent results. Their sourcing focuses on building direct relationships with farmers and producers, and they work with growing regions across Colombia, Ethiopia, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

"Alternate Route is our first women-owned and operated roaster, and this month I'm proud to announce every Alternate Route coffee we're featuring is sourced from women coffee producers. I'm particularly excited to share their coffee from Huila, Colombia with you - this is one of my favourite balanced coffees this year."

- Dean, Director of Coffee