Popayan Decaf Espresso

About the Coffee

This lot comes from around 65 small producers farming in the Cauca region of Colombia, in the highlands surrounding Popayan. The area sits within the Andes at elevation, where volcanic soils and a consistent climate give the coffee a clean, even character. Farmers grow a mix of Castillo, Catimor, and Caturra varieties, varieties well suited to the conditions of this region.

The program ties quality directly to payment. Farmers receive premiums based on the quality of what they deliver, which encourages more careful picking and closer attention during processing. The washed process (where the fruit is fully removed before drying) is standard here, and the consistency across 65 farms points to a shared commitment to doing it well.

After processing, the coffee goes through the Swiss Water Process for decaffeination. This method uses water and activated carbon filters rather than chemical solvents to remove caffeine. It takes longer, but it preserves more of the coffee's original character. The result is a decaf that holds up as espresso without leaning on roast level to cover anything up.

About Monogram

Ben Put, Justin Eyford, and Jeremy Ho started Monogram after working together as baristas in Calgary. Their first setup was a hand-built coffee cart. They opened their first brick-and-mortar cafe in Altadore in 2014, rooted in the idea that specialty coffee should feel open and approachable rather than exclusive.

Ben Put has won the Canadian Barista Championship seven times and placed third at the 2025 World Barista Championship. Monogram holds 10 Canadian Barista Championship titles collectively. That competition background shapes how they approach sourcing and roasting: they work with long-term producer relationships, including farms like Finca Takesi in Bolivia, Finca Deborah in Panama, and Daterra in Brazil, and they aim for a roast that hits what they call the "Sweet Spot," developed enough to be smooth, but not so far that it loses what makes each coffee distinct.