Colombia Los Patios - Watermelon Co-Ferment
COLOMBIA
LOS PATIOS - WATERMELON CO-FERMENT
WATERMELON CANDY, COLORADO SUMMER WATERMELON, FRUIT PUNCH
This is pure and direct watermelon candy! Intense with layers of watermelon goodness evoking all sorts of watermelon expressions depending how you brew it. Fresh watermelon, watermelon jolly ranchers, fresh summer Colorado watermelon, you get the idea.
The vision for the art was executed beautifully by our lead designer and artist, Courtney Gayer. Given the deliciousness of summer Colorado watermelons, specifically from Olathe, we saw a vision to include them all in one design: the Huila hillsides, Mt. Lamborn, peaches, and flowers all under the same sky. A gosh darn beautiful thing.
*We think of this as a co-ferment as the natural watermelon concentrate is added during active fermentation while the sugar conversions are happening.
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Lat Plata, Colombia
PRODUCER: The Coffee Quest
ELEVATION: 1,600 -1,900 masl
VARIETY: Castillo + Caturra
PROCESS: Co-ferment - See Below for More Detail
TASTING NOTES: watermelon candy, colorado watermelon, fruit punch
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Los Patios Watermelon Co-Ferment
Huila, Colombia
Produced by The Coffee Quest for Color Coffee
Overview
The Los Patios series is back with a vibrant watermelon co-ferment from Huila, Colombia. Developed by The Coffee Quest’s Research & Development team at their Los Patios processing facility in La Plata, this lot was created to elevate Castillo’s traditional, robust profile with a bright watermelon fruit punch character.
Flavor Profile
Watermelon Candy · Colorado Watermelons · Fruit Punch
Coffee Details
Origin: La Plata, Huila, Colombia
Variety: Castillo
Farm Elevation: 1,600–1,900 m.a.s.l.
Average Farm Size: 3 hectares
Processing Facility: Los Patios
Processing Style: Watermelon co-ferment
Producer Network: Various local producers in the region
Producer & Sourcing Context
The Coffee Quest buys de-pulped cherries from various producers around La Plata, Huila. These producers manage the first stage of processing on their farms, beginning with a 12-hour aerobic fermentation in cherry before delivering wet parchment to Los Patios.
Processing Method
Once the coffee arrives at Los Patios, The Coffee Quest’s R&D team adds commercial watermelon concentrate along with their proprietary solution to the de-pulped coffee.
This stage includes an additional fermentation, though the main focus is the transfer and absorption of precursors from the watermelon concentrate and proprietary solution into the coffee.
The fermentation and absorption phase lasts 2 days. Afterward, the coffee is drained and dried in mechanical silos for 8 days, with constant monitoring and rotation to ensure even drying.
Co-Fermentation Approach
For The Coffee Quest, cup quality is the priority, but physical bean quality is equally important. A key goal in developing this process was embryo preservation, ensuring that experimental flavor development did not compromise the structural integrity of the coffee.
This process builds on their previous success with co-fermentation, creating expressive fruit-forward profiles while preserving the physical quality of the beans.
About Los Patios
Established in June 2022 as a processing facility, Los Patios is more than a production hub. It represents The Coffee Quest’s commitment to innovation across the entire coffee supply chain.
By collaborating with local producers and implementing strategic processing initiatives, Los Patios has become a center for experimentation and quality improvement in Huila.
Since April 2023, the Research & Development team at Los Patios has been focused on developing repeatable, distinctive processes that enhance cupping scores and create unique flavor profiles. Led by Juliana Serna and Alberto Gutierrez, the team uses proprietary fruit concentrates to complement traditional coffee flavors while working toward consistency and replicability.
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?