Colombia Washed San Bernardo

San Bernardo – a dwarf mutation of heirloom Typica discovered in Guatemala in 1949 – is cultivated by only a handful of farms globally due to extreme susceptibility to coffee leaf rust and low yields. Yet those who dare to grow it are rewarded with exceptional cup quality: floral complexity, high clarity, and the prized flavor characteristics inherited from its Typica lineage.

Origin: El Libano, Gaitania, Tolima, Colombia
Producer: Javier Rubio (Cup of Excellence 2008, 3rd place)
Altitude: 1,600-1,750 meters above sea level
Variety: San Bernardo (dwarf Typica mutation)
Process: Modern Washed (extended underwater fermentation)
Roast Profile: Light-Medium
Tasting Notes: Red apple, Sugar cane, Umami, intense florals The Producer: Javier Rubio's Quality-First Philosophy

Javier Rubio was born into a multi-generational coffee farming family in Casanare, working on family farms from childhood. After moving to Tolima in 1990, he purchased El Libano farm around 1994 in the remote mountain valley of Gaitania, near the border with Huila. His 7-hectare farm operates at elevations between 1,600-1,750 meters on nutrient-rich volcanic ash soils, where he works alongside his son, daughter-in-law, and brother Hector.

His breakthrough came at the 2008 Cup of Excellence Colombia South competition, where he secured 3rd place with 91.05 points among 532 producers from 10 states. The winning lot of 19 bags sold for $9.35 per pound to Japanese trading company Marubeni Corporation. Rather than resting on this achievement, Rubio describes himself as "still not satisfied" – a drive that led him to pursue exotic varietals and innovative processing methods.

In 2018, Rubio planted exotic varieties including Geisha, Tabi, San Bernardo, and Yellow Bourbon alongside his traditional Caturra and Castillo. The San Bernardo particularly appealed to him: despite taking longer to mature and being highly sensitive to leaf rust, it produces exceptional cup quality with distinctively floral and complex profiles. This willingness to embrace agronomic challenges in pursuit of quality exemplifies the specialty coffee ethos of prioritizing cup excellence over commercial convenience.

Rubio holds organic certification and cultivates 15 different types of native trees alongside coffee, actively preserving animal habitats in the region. He's a member of the Tres Rayas Coffee Cooperative and works with Cofinet, the Colombian producer-exporter that trained him in advanced processing techniques. The Variety: San Bernardo's Rare Heritage

San Bernardo represents one of specialty coffee's most compelling paradoxes: agronomically challenging yet producing exceptional quality that commands premium prices. Also known as "Pache" in its native Guatemala, this varietal was first discovered in 1949 at Finca El Brito in Santa Cruz Naranjo, Guatemala, as a natural mutation of Typica caused by a genetic mutation that produces dwarfism.

The plants grow to just 0.8-1.25 meters – even shorter than Caturra or Castillo – while maintaining large cherries and beans characteristic of Typica. This compact stature allows denser planting, yet the varietal produces significantly lower yields than commercial Colombian varieties. World Coffee Research classifies it in the Bourbon-Typica group and documents it as having "very good to exceptional" cup quality potential at higher altitudes.

Only a handful of farms globally cultivate San Bernardo, primarily in Colombia's Huila and Tolima departments, with limited presence in Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. In Colombia, notable producers include Oliver Cortez at El Triunfo farm, Adaiber Peña, and Luis Aldana alongside Rubio. The varietal remains rare because it is highly susceptible to coffee leaf rust and Coffee Berry Disease – critical weaknesses after the 2008-2013 rust epidemic devastated Latin American production.

Cup quality justifies the challenges. San Bernardo consistently scores 85.5-87.5 points in specialty evaluations, with exceptional lots like Rubio's achieving 91 points. The flavor profile showcases characteristics inherited from Typica: chocolate, citrus (orange, lemon), stone fruits (prune, peach), honey, sugarcane, cinnamon, and vanilla, with smooth, syrupy body, vibrant acidity, high clarity, and long finish. Why Frank's Coffee Chose This Coffee

We were immediately drawn to the story behind San Bernardo – a producer choosing quality over convenience, cultivating a variety that most farmers avoid. Javier Rubio's Cup of Excellence recognition validates what we value most: the conviction that exceptional quality ultimately finds its market when producers commit to excellence at every stage from seed selection through processing.

The rarity factor resonated deeply with us. With only a handful of farms glob