New Release | Colombia Luis Calderon Pink Bourbon + Colombia Jairo Arcila Chiroso EF2
May 17th Release: Luis Calderon Pink Bourbon
Snapshot: Grown by Luis Anibal Calderon at the farm Villa Betulia, this coffee is harvested to rigorous ripeness criteria. In addition to strict ripeness protocol, the coffee is then floated and hand-sorted to ensure all defects are removed. These cherries are then exposed to a 30-hr underwater fermentation and pulped. Parchment is then washed off and the coffee is dried in a temperature-controlled environment until desired moisture is achieved.
Who is Luis? Why is this special?
Luis has gained an honorable reputation over the recent years for his exceptional production of superlative micro lots featuring rare varietals. He began growing special coffee varieties such as Yellow Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, Chiroso, Geisha, Marageisha, and Striped Bourbon back in 2012 and quickly recognized the return on investment from farming these varietals. Luis harnesses the natural acidity found in Huila’s terroir and combines innovative post-harvest methods to enhance these distinctive flavors of his coffees. Renowned for the fruity notes, impeccable balance, and refined textures, his coffees are highly coveted among coffee professionals.
This specific coffee is special for several reasons. The first being the varietal. Pink Bourbons are somewhat new to coffee and have not been studied rigorously enough to share their genetic background. You can read more about this complex history here. In addition to the varietal, Luis’ processing of this coffee is unique in that he adds a 30 hour, submerged in water, fermentation before pulping to dry. You’ll notice in the cup that what stands out the most is the body. It is clear but present, kind of like a simple syrup. As the coffee cools, the fruit notes seem to ripen. This coffee is highly approachable and will be appreciated by all coffee drinkers alike.
Jairo Arcila
May 24th Release: Jairo Arcila Chiroso EF2
Snapshot: Introduced to coffee farming in 1987, Jairo Arcila has mastered variations in growing and producing coffee over the years across 5 farms. With this experimental extended fermentation, shortened to EF2, the cherry undergoes two methods of fermentation. The coffee is first exposed to 24 hours of dry aerobic fermentation, which is a fancy way of saying the cherries rest exposed to air. The following step is to then move the cherries to Grainpro bags for 50 hours of anaerobic (without air) fermentation while being maintained at temperatures below 22 degrees Celsius. The whole cherries are then placed on raised beds and dried until 11% moisture is reached. This meticulous methodology is what contributes to this coffee being so unique and exhibiting the sweet, vibrant acidity you'll taste in every cup.
Who is Jairo? Why is this special?
Besides growing coffee, Jairo also produces other agricultural products on his farms including mandarins, oranges, plantains, and bananas. With these fruits he has been known to co-ferment coffees - this is not one of those coffees, but they are worth experiencing if you ever get the chance! Jair Arcila is an processing innovator who is supported in his coffee efforts by his two children and coffee producing wife, Luz Helena Salazar. Some would consider this family to be ‘household names.’ Beyond the ingenious processing for this lot, it is important to bring attention to they Chiroso varietal. This varietal is relatively new and unstudied in coffee but can be traced back to Ethiopian Landrace (previously ‘Heirloom’) but we do not know much beyond that. The mystery is part of the allure! Dive in and read more here.