In Colombia, coffee is woven into everyday life.
A small black coffee is often called a tinto or tintico, and one traditional way to prepare it at home is in an olleta—a simple stovetop pot.
For this origin ritual, we’re using Meridian, our single-origin medium roast from Tolima, Colombia.
From Tolima, Colombia
Meridian comes from Tolima, one of Colombia’s major coffee-growing regions.
Our coffee is grown at approximately 1,500–2,100 meters and is produced from Caturra, Castillo, and Typica varieties.
It is washed and sun-dried, a processing style closely associated with Colombian coffee production.
In the cup, Meridian offers notes of:
Dark chocolate • Mango • Peach
The medium roast keeps the cup balanced and approachable while allowing a gentle fruit brightness to remain.
What Is Café de Olleta?
Café de olleta is a traditional Colombian pot-brewed coffee preparation.
The basic method is simple: water is heated in a small pot, ground coffee is added after the water reaches a boil, and the coffee is allowed to steep briefly before serving.
In Colombia, black coffee is commonly referred to as tinto or affectionately as tintico.
Some households drink it black, while others sweeten it with sugar or panela.
What You’ll Need
For approximately two small cups:
14 grams Meridian coffee
300 ml fresh water
Small saucepan or olleta
Spoon
Fine strainer or cloth filter, optional
Panela or sugar, optional
Step 1: Grind Meridian
For café de olleta, use a medium to coarse grind.
This gives the coffee enough surface area to extract during the short steep while still allowing the grounds to settle more easily.
Step 2: Heat the Water
Add 300 ml of fresh water to your olleta or small saucepan.
Bring the water to a boil.
If you prefer a sweeter, country-style cup, add a small amount of panela while the water heats and let it dissolve completely.
Step 3: Remove the Pot From the Heat
As soon as the water reaches a boil, remove the pot from the heat.
There is no need to keep the coffee boiling aggressively.
The next stage is a short steep.
Step 4: Add Meridian
Add approximately 14 grams of Meridian to the hot water.
Stir gently once so all of the grounds are saturated.
Step 5: Let It Rest
Cover the pot and allow the coffee to steep for approximately 4 minutes.
During this time, the coffee extracts while many of the grounds begin settling toward the bottom.
Step 6: Pour and Serve
Pour the coffee slowly into small cups.
If you want a cleaner cup, pass it through a fine strainer or cloth filter.
If you prefer the rustic olleta style, pour carefully and simply leave the sediment behind in the pot.
What Meridian Tastes Like This Way
Café de olleta gives Meridian a soft, rounded body.
The dark chocolate character becomes especially comforting, while the mango and peach notes provide a gentle lift rather than dominating the cup.
If you add a little panela, the sweetness can deepen the chocolate side of the coffee while still allowing the fruit character to show through.
Why This Method Fits Meridian
Meridian is already a balanced coffee.
Its medium roast and washed process make it clean enough to stay expressive, but substantial enough to hold up well in a simple pot-brewed preparation.
That makes café de olleta an interesting way to experience the same coffee from a different angle.
No elaborate brewer.
No paper filter required.
Just coffee, water, a small pot, and a few minutes.
The Colombian Coffee Ritual
In Colombia, offering someone coffee is closely tied to hospitality.
A cup of tinto can be part of the morning, a pause during the workday, or something placed in front of a visitor almost automatically.
The preparation may be simple, but the gesture carries meaning.
That is what makes café de olleta such a natural fit for the Ortalis idea of ritual.
Try Meridian as Café de Olleta
If you usually prepare Meridian as drip or pour-over coffee, try it once in an olleta.
Compare the body.
Notice how the dark chocolate develops.
See whether the mango and peach feel softer or more pronounced.
Meridian — Colombia Medium Roast
Tolima, Colombia
Medium Roast
Experience the Ritual at OrtalisCoffee.com.
How Would You Drink Your Tintico?
Black and simple?
Or with a little panela for a deeper sweetness?
Try both and see which version brings out your favorite side of Meridian.