Artist Reserve: Colombia Los Patios - Peach Geisha Co-Ferment
ARTIST RESERVE: Courtney Gayer
COLOMBIA LOS PATIOS - PEACH GEISHA CO-FERMENT
COLORADO PEACH, PEACH CANDY, PEACH TEA, PEACH BLOSSOM
Peach season might be over in Colorado, but we've got something pretty special to keep the flavor vibes pumping.
Straight from Los Patios, The Coffee Quest's experimental processing headquarters in Huila, comes their first successful peach co-ferment using exclusively Gesha. Small lots, too small to isolate, used as the base here for a wild wild coffee. Fresh from harvest.
The fruit is big and unmistakable, yet there's a delicacy and complexity underneath it all that makes the coffee really compelling. Lifted and intense sure, but also layered.
We're tasting ripe Colorado peaches, peach rings, apricot jam, peach tea, honey, and delicate peach blossom florals.
Label design by our in-house designer and artist Courtney Gayer - check out her work here:
https://www.instagram.com/courtneycgayer/
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Los Patios, La Plata, Huila, Colombia
PRODUCER: The Coffee Quest
ELEVATION: 1,600–1,900 masl
PROCESS: Peach Co-Ferment / Yeast Inoculated
VARIETY: Gesha
TASTING NOTES: Colorado peaches, peach rings, apricot jam, peach tea, honey, and delicate peach blossom florals
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
About Los Patios
Los Patios is the experimental processing and research facility operated by The Coffee Quest in La Plata, Huila, Colombia.
Rather than relying on a single farm, the team works with producers throughout the region, sourcing exceptional coffees and bringing them to Los Patios for more specialized processing.
The facility gives the team an opportunity to explore fermentation, yeast inoculation, and new processing techniques under carefully controlled conditions.
We've been particularly excited about their co-fermentation projects, which explore how fruit, fermentation, and coffee variety can work together to create something genuinely new.
This release is especially interesting because it's their first successful co-fermentation using Gesha.
Gesha is already celebrated for its floral aromatics, elegant structure, and complex fruit character. Adding peach to the equation could easily overwhelm those qualities.
Instead, Los Patios has managed to amplify the fruit while preserving much of what makes the variety so special.
The Process
This coffee begins on small farms throughout Huila, where Gesha is grown at elevations between 1,600 and 1,900 meters above sea level.
The process is a carefully managed combination of initial cherry fermentation, peach co-fermentation, and slow drying.
Step 1 — Initial Cherry Fermentation
Producers harvest ripe Gesha cherries and begin with a 12-hour aerobic fermentation in the whole cherry.
This initial stage takes place at the farm before the coffee is depulped and transported to Los Patios.
Step 2 — Peach Co-Fermentation
Once the depulped coffee arrives at the facility, the R&D team introduces a peach concentrate alongside a proprietary fermentation solution.
The solution is designed to assist with the transfer of specific precursors during fermentation, with attention paid to both flavor development and the preservation of bean quality.
The coffee then undergoes approximately two days of fermentation and absorption, allowing the peach character to integrate with the Gesha.
Step 3 — Slow Drying
Following fermentation, the coffee is dried slowly for 12–16 days, with careful monitoring throughout the process.
The result is a coffee with unmistakable peach character, but also remarkable clarity, sweetness, and floral complexity.
It's an exciting example of what thoughtful co-fermentation can accomplish when the variety itself remains an important part of the finished cup.
Artist Reserve — Courtney Gayer
Our Artist Reserve series brings together exceptional coffees and original work from artists whose creativity we admire.
For this release, we're featuring artwork from Courtney Gayer, whose peach-inspired design feels right at home alongside such a vibrant coffee.
There's something particularly fitting about pairing a coffee built around Colorado peach flavors with artwork that celebrates the fruit itself.
Bean Details
ORIGIN: Huila, Colombia
PROCESSING FACILITY: Los Patios, La Plata
SOURCING REGION: Gigante, Huila
SOURCING PARTNER: The Coffee Quest
ELEVATION: 1,600–1,900 masl
VARIETY: Gesha
PROCESS: Peach Co-Ferment / Yeast Inoculated
INITIAL FERMENTATION: 12 Hours Aerobic in Cherry
CO-FERMENTATION: Approximately 48 Hours with Peach Concentrate
DRYING: 12–16 Days
HARVEST: 2026
ARTIST: Courtney Gayer
SERIES: Artist Reserve
ROAST TYPE: Light
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?
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!
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?
Yes — check out our Brew Guide for how we brew at Color.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?