Astrid Medina was awarded first place in the COE in 2015. Her high quality produce is only a part of her contribution to the world- she invests all of her sales from the prized crop and most of her income every year to invest in the farm's facility and to help improving working conditions of the pickers. Rather than living in luxury, she chooses to put her money and time into helping the people around her and those involved in coffee.

When we visited her farm, she thanked us for visiting, and said "You can never truly know the hardships of others until you have been in their shoes." As obvious as it may sound, visiting the farm in person really helped me to understand that everything that's happening there- picking, sorting, terroir, climate, what people eat and where they sleep- is connected that cup of coffee we drink every day.

We have been purchasing her coffee for the last 3 years, and throughout those crops her coffee is always delicate, floral, with the sweetness strong at the core. I felt that her coffee reflects her personality: caring, loving, and staying true to her core value- I'm so happy that we will continue to be able to share her wonderful coffee with Kurasu community.

Check out the full story on our blog：Colombia Origin Trip 2025 (Part 2: Visiting Farms)

Along with her husband Raúl Antonio Durán and her sisters, Astrid Medina manages her family coffee farm located at an altitude of 1,816m in San Miguel settlement in Tolima, Planadas. Buena Vista was founded in 2005, with a large land of 15ha where varieties of coffee such as Caturra, Colombia, Castillo, Geisha, Pink Bourbon, Tabi, and Papayo are grown. After her father was tragically killed in 2006, Astrid inherited 3.5ha of his farm. Over the years, she purchased other part of the land from her brothers, and she now owns the full 15ha.

Buena Vista produces washed coffee with the utmost care. The cherries are harvested at full ripeness and brought to the sorting table where only the best quality cherries are selected. They are then rested for 24 hours, pulped, and dry-fermented in tanks for another 24 hours. They are then washed three times and sorted by floaters. The beans are then taken to drying racks on a raised platform. Drying takes 15-20 days, depending on the weather.

The farm has two harvest seasons: April-June and October-December. Astrid and Raúl are proud of their sustainable business model that allows them to earn a living and pay their workers fairly. They plan to continue growing exotic varieties. They have also built a cable car to transport cherries from the top of the farm to the wet mill, which are called “Geisha,” “Typica,” and “Bourbon Rosado.” Astrid was awarded the 2016 Cup of Excellence for her quality produce.

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）
01:40~ +50g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:30

Check out Kurasu Coffee Brew Guide for more information!

Flat Bed Dripper:

・Dripper: Kalita Wave Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 92℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 30g（Total: 30g）
00:40~ +30g（Total: 60g）
01:10~ +140g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:05 to 02:15

Check out our Youtube for more information!

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 150g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Ice cubes: 70g
・Grind: Medium fine

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:10

Check out our Japanese Iced Coffee Recipe for more information!