Artist Reserve - Colombia Edward Sandoval - Washed Gesha
COLOMBIA
EDWARD SANDOVAL GESHA (WASHED)
STAR FRUIT, JASMINE, BLACK TEA + PEAR
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Santa Isabel, Tolima, Colombia
PRODUCERS: Edward Sandoval
VARIETY: Gesha
ALTITUDE: 1900 masl
PROCESS: Washed
TASTING NOTES: Star fruit, jasmine, black tea, honeysuckle, pear
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Edward Sandoval - Finca Canta Ranas
Exceptional Gesha Lot from a Technical Expert
We were fortunate to source several variety separations from Edward Sandoval this past harvest, including Chiroso, Wush Wush, and these 5 bags of Gesha—a true standout from this exceptional producer.
Producer Background
Edward Sandoval brings a unique technical perspective to coffee farming, having worked for many years as a field technician for the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC). When he left the FNC to establish his own farm, Finca Canta Ranas, Edward made a deliberate choice to plant varieties that the FNC didn't promote due to their demanding management requirements and disease susceptibility.
However, these challenging varieties also offer the potential for significantly higher cup value—exactly what appealed to Edward's vision for his farm.
Farm Specifications & Varieties
- Size: 6 hectares planted in coffee
- Elevation: Up to 1,900 masl
- Specialty Varieties: Bourbon, Chiroso, Wush Wush, Gesha, and Moka
Processing Excellence
Edward's background as a Q grader and cupper proves invaluable during harvest. He cup tests each process batch to ensure proper quality separation.
Processing Method
- Wet Processing: Coffee is processed into tile tanks for initial fermentation
- Extended Fermentation: Batches ferment until ready for patio drying
- Batch Mixing: Process batches are combined over 2-3 days with fresh water added daily to slow fermentation
- Quality Management: This technique helps manage small lots on the drying patio while developing fruitier flavors without over-fermentation
This batch mixing approach is more common in Colombia than many realize and allows Edward to enhance flavor development while maintaining quality control across his diverse variety portfolio.
The Gesha Difference
This 5-bag Gesha lot represents the pinnacle of Edward's technical expertise and commitment to exceptional varieties, showcasing the potential that drew him away from conventional FNC-promoted cultivars toward these more challenging but rewarding plants.
General Brewing Instructions
- Filtered water. Spring water is ideal. Removing chloride, sulfur, and iron is essential.
- A burr grinder. The more even the coffee particles, the better the coffee. Burr grinders, whether manual or electric, will do a better job than "whirly-blade" grinders. Invest in a burr grinder. Your taste buds (and coffee roaster) will thank you.
- A scale. I know using a scale can seem a bit like you're doing something you shouldn't be. Trust me, you can only brew consistently great coffee with a scale. Water and coffee are hard to measure without one.
- Clean equipment. Properly cleaning your equipment is the only way to avoid stale and rancid coffee flavors entering your cup. Please keep your equipment clean. The sooner and more often you clean your gear, the easier it will be in the long run. Add it to your ritual and thank us later.
- Delicious and freshly roasted Color Coffee
- Hario V60 02. Check out Scott Rao's video on how to brew a better pourover than your local cafe does.
- French Press. Check out James Hoffman's video on how to brew a next level cup.
- Aeropress. Check out Tim Wendelboe's video on how to brew an exceptionally easy and delicious cup.
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?