Colombia 'El Tigre' Daniel Hernandez - Washed Chiroso
COLOMBIA
EL TIGRE - WASHED CHIROSO
CARAMEL APPLE, FRUITY CACAO, RIPE FIG
Clean, bright Chiroso goodness from Urrao, Antioquia. El Tigre has that combination we love about great Chiroso: elegant fruit, tons of sweetness, and a cocoa depth that gives the coffee some real balance. We taste caramel apple, ripe fig, and fruity Madagascar cocoa, with subtle florals and a long, clean finish.
A really beautiful washed coffee from one of Colombia's most exciting coffee-growing communities and the young producer network we excited to connect with.
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia
PRODUCER: Daniel Hernandez
ELEVATION: 2000+ masl
VARIETY: Chiroso
PROCESS: After selection, the coffee undergoes an initial fermentation before being depulped. The depulped coffee then goes through an extended fermentation lasting up to four days, with newly harvested batches added each day, before being thoroughly washed.
TASTING NOTES: Caramel apple sweetness, ripe fig, fruity cacao, delicate florals, and a clean, lingering finish.
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
About Daniel Hernandez
Daniel Hernandez is a young producer from Urrao with a pretty obsessive approach to coffee.
Together with his sister Natalie, Daniel has spent years pursuing specialty coffee and highlighting the potential of Urrao's native Chiroso variety. He's a member of the PEC specialty coffee program and is deeply involved in his local coffee community, including mentoring other young producers.
Daniel's farming goes beyond coffee, too. His family cultivates avocados and other fruit alongside their coffee, and he approaches the entire farm with the same attention to detail—following the coffee from flowering through harvest, processing, and ultimately the cup.
For Daniel and Natalie, El Tigre is a small farm built around a pretty big idea: showing just how special Chiroso from Urrao can be.
About El Tigre
El Tigre sits on the outskirts of Urrao, Antioquia at approximately 2,000 meters above sea level.
It's a tiny operation, focused exclusively on Chiroso, with Daniel and Natalie working alongside a very small team.
The altitude, cool mountain climate, and careful farming create exactly the conditions that have helped make Urrao synonymous with this variety.
The Process
This is a carefully produced washed Chiroso.
Coffee is hand-picked and rigorously sorted, with the goal of harvesting approximately 95% fully ripe cherries.
After selection, the coffee undergoes an initial fermentation before being depulped. The depulped coffee then goes through an extended fermentation lasting up to four days, with newly harvested batches added each day, before being thoroughly washed.
It's an unusual approach to a traditional washed process, building additional sweetness and complexity while maintaining the clarity we're looking for in Chiroso.
The result is exactly that: clean, bright, sweet, and distinctly Urrao.
Bean Details
ORIGIN: Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia
PRODUCER: Daniel Hernandez
FARM: El Tigre
ELEVATION: 2,000 masl
VARIETY: Chiroso
PROCESS: Washed
HARVEST: November–December
ROAST TYPE: Light
Tasting Notes
Caramel Apple • Madagascar Cocoa
Caramel apple sweetness, ripe fig, fruity cacao, delicate florals, and a clean, lingering finish.
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?