Artist Reserve: Colombia Carmen Montoya - Multi-Stage Washed Chiroso
ARTIST RESERVE: Alex Strohl
COLOMBIA CARMEN MONTOYA - MULTI-STAGE WASHED CHIROSO
DENSE PEACH, MANDARIN, CARMEL CANDY, LAYERED
Carmen Montoya is the queen of Chiroso.
For years, she's quietly become one of the most influential producers behind this remarkable Colombian variety, helping establish the clean, intensely aromatic profile that has made Chiroso one of the most sought-after varietals in the world.
Bright and crisp with layers of juicy peach, sweet mandarin orange, and caramel candy. It's expressive and sweet —an elegant, multi-stage washed coffee that keeps unfolding as it cools.
This release marks an exciting new collaboration with Alex Strohl.
Alex has long been one of Color Coffee's biggest supporters, and we've admired his photography for years. His work—capturing wild landscapes, quiet moments, and a deep sense of place—felt like the perfect fit for one of Colombia's most unique places and coffees.
Follow Alex's work:
instagram.com/alexstrohl
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia
PRODUCER: Carmen Montoya
ELEVATION: 2,000 masl
PROCESS:
Multi-Stage Washed
- 12-hour whole cherry fermentation
- Depulped
- 72-hour fermentation in stainless steel tanks
- Washed
- 8-day patio drying
VARIETY: Chiroso
TASTING NOTES: juicy peach, mandarin, caramel candy
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
In Partnership with Unblended
We're also excited to bring this coffee to you through our friends at Unblended, whose sourcing philosophy aligns closely with ours: finding remarkable producers, celebrating transparency, and building long-term relationships that allow exceptional coffees to reach more people.
Partnerships like this expand our ability to source extraordinary coffees while remaining focused on the producers and stories that matter most.
About the Producer
The Chiroso Queen of Urrao
Few producers have had a greater influence on Chiroso than Carmen Montoya.
A coffee farmer for more than 23 years, Carmen grew up surrounded by coffee. Her parents instilled a love for farming from an early age, and over time she became fascinated with processing and the remarkable potential of a little-known variety growing on her farm in Urrao.
That dedication paid off in 2014, when she won Colombia's prestigious Cup of Excellence with the coffee she had affectionately named Chiroso. Carmen was one of the first producers to cultivate and champion the variety, helping establish the reputation that has since made Urrao one of the world's premier destinations for Chiroso.
Today, her Bella Vista farm sits at 2,000 meters above sea level and remains one of the oldest Chiroso plantings in the region. The five-hectare farm, supported by a small team of four employees, has become both a source of exceptional coffee and a place of learning. Producers from neighboring farms regularly visit Bella Vista to study Carmen's farming and processing methods, many adopting her techniques to elevate quality throughout the community.
Carmen's ambition extends beyond her own farm. She continues to mentor other producers while working toward a shared goal: making Urrao Chiroso recognized around the world not only for its extraordinary quality, but for the people whose knowledge and dedication made it possible.
Brew Guide
Filter & Espresso
You bought great coffee. Brew it that way. Below is how we approach extraction at Color — built from years of roasting, tasting, and a lot of dialing in on our favorite brewers: Hoop, Pulsar, UFO, and Origami Air.
Brew how you’d like — but if you want it how we taste it, start here.
REST
Great coffee changes over time. Don’t rush it.
Filter:
→ 2–6 weeks off roast
→ Sweet spot: 3.5–6 weeks
This is where things get cleaner, riper, and more clear. Fruit tones deepen. Structure gets polished and the finish cleans up.
Espresso:
→ 4–6 weeks off roast
You can pull earlier. It’ll be brighter and aromatic. Around week 4, it rounds out and gains density.
If you enjoy tasting evolution like me, just keep brewing and wait for it to get better!
WATER
Water matters more than most variables. We QC with TWW at full strength, the light roast profile, but these coffees truly sparkle with most soft water profiles. Most mountain water is hard so be sure to adjust accordingly. Definitely filter out chlorine and sulfur if using tap water. Apex is making some really cool water drops!
Ideal Range:
→ 30–80 ppm
→ Moderate alkalinity
→ Balanced calcium/magnesium
Softer water increases clarity and perceived sweetness. Harder water can flatten acidity and mute top notes as well as muddy the finish.
FILTER BREWING
Core Philosophy
- Even extraction > aggressive agitation
- Minimize channeling
- Control flow rate
- Your taste is the most important factor!
- Bed Depth is critical, check out Jonathan Gagne’s thoughts on this
We aim for:
- Extraction Yield: 20–23%
- TDS: 1.35–1.55
- Clean, structured sweetness
- The least amount of astringency possible
- No hollow center, flat beds
RATIO
We cup at 1:17
For brewing, we gravitate toward:
- 1:16 – 1:17
- Personal favorite: 1:16.75
- If the coffee is ultra-dense or fruit-forward, push toward 1:17. If you want more saturation and body, lean toward 1:16.
GRIND
Medium-fine for most flat-bottom / hybrid brewers.
You should see:
- Even drawdown
- No stalling
- No rushing
- See Jonathan Gagne’s bed depth post
If it tastes:
- Sour → grind finer or reduce chanelling
- Bitter/astringent/dry → grind coarser
- Thin → increase extraction (finer or hotter water)
BREWERS WE LOVE
Hoop
Low agitation. High clarity. One pour.
Let gravity do the work. Make sure to break the crust when you finish pouring.
Use a metal aeropress filter if you’re struggling with choking and/or slow draw downs.
Pulsar
Excellent for brewing for 2 people.
Aim for doses 25g - 30g to reduce channeling risk.
Bloom with the valve closed. Open after the first pour.
UFO
Expressive, modern clarity.
Great for highlighting fruit structure. Forgiving.
We love the sibarist filters.
Origami Air
Run conical filters for clarity, flat-bottom for structure.
Control your pour pattern — even spirals, minimal disturbance.
Thermally stable, easy pour over option.
POUR OVER POUR STRUCTURE (General Framework)
For a 1:16–1:17 brew:
- Bloom: 2–3x coffee weight (45–60g for 21.5g dose)
- 60 sec bloom
- 2–3 controlled center-out pours
- Avoid heavy swirling or stirring
- Let it draw down naturally with a light rattle after the last pour. Agitation increases extraction — use it intentionally.
ESPRESSO
Rest longer. Be patient.
Starting Parameters:
- 1:2 – 1:2.5 ratio
- 25–35 sec
- 93–95°C
- Adjust based on roast level and density
These coffees often open up at slightly higher extraction. Don’t be afraid of longer shots if they remain sweet and structured. More shot volume = more extraction.
You’re looking for:
- Dense sweetness
- No harsh finish
- Lingering fruit or chocolate clarity
- Structured acidity, not sharpness
If it’s thin → grind finer or increase ratio
If it’s harsh → coarsen or lower temp slightly
WHAT WE’RE TASTING AT OPTIMAL EXTRACTION
- Saturated sweetness
- Clear fruit articulation
- No hollow mid-palate
- Weight without heaviness
- Long finish
When you hit it right, it feels polished. Not loud. Not dull. Just complete.
FINAL NOTES
- Rest matters.
- Water matters more.
- Extraction is measurable.
- But taste is king.
Brew whenever you’d like. Track changes. Stay curious.
If you dial something incredible on your Hoop, Pulsar, UFO, or Origami Air — tell us.
We’re always chasing better coffee.
— Color Coffee
Coffee Faq
IS YOUR COFFEE ORGANIC OR FAIR TRADE?
In many cases, yes. However, our first priority is quality and flavor. Sometimes these priorities align and our producers are certified organic and/or fair trade. We always pay well above fair trade rates (which are quite low and don’t guarantee sustainability or quality).
Often times, the producers we work with are too small to gain certifications. It’s expensive and laborious. Many of our producers are certified organic and fair trade, including many of our producers in Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME-FRAME TO DRINK MY COFFEE?
We recommend drinking our coffee within one month of the roast date. Most of our coffees taste best however within 2 - 14 days of roast date.
For espresso, we recommend using coffee that has rested at least 7 days after roast date. This is because coffee gives off CO2 after roasting that can interfere with extraction. One way to get around this is to let your ground espresso dose sit for 30-120 minutes before pulling the shot. Email info@colorroasters.com for more questions about this.
If you are pre-grinding the coffee, we recommend drinking the coffee within one week of grinding.
CAN YOU GRIND MY COFFEE ON WEB ORDERS?
Yes, we can. Please select how you want your coffee to be ground at the time you place your order. Simply click on the arrow beside "Grind" and make your selection. If you need help choosing let us know the brewing method you will be using to prepare the coffee, in the notes of the order. And we will be happy to grind the coffee for you on our commercial grinder.
DO YOU HAVE BREW RECIPES?
These are in the works! We are compiling a bunch and even shooting some video, to help you brew like us at home.
In the meantime...go here: Pour Overs | Aeropress to get some expert advice.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?