Colombia Sebastian Ramirez - Yeast Inoculated Washed Pink Bourbon
COLOMBIA
SEBASTIAN RAMIREZ - YEAST INOCULATED WASHED PINK BOURBON
TROPICAL RED FRUITS, CITRUS CANDY, SWEET TARTS, EXPRESSIVE
Our first coffee from Sebastian Ramirez, and a producer we've wanted to work with for a while. Sebastian and his team at El Placer have become known for pushing fermentation and processing forward in Colombia, but what we love about this coffee is actually how restrained it feels. It's floral, intensely sweet, and fruit-forward without sacrificing the clean, elegant character that makes Pink Bourbon so special.
The cup reminds us of tropical red fruits, citrus candies, Sweet Tarts, and apple sugar—bright and playful up front, with a beautifully clean finish.
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Quindío, Colombia
PRODUCER: Sebastian Ramirez
ELEVATION: 1,860–2,000 masl
VARIETY: Pink Bourbon
PROCESS:
The coffee is then depulped and placed into 200-liter tanks, where it undergoes a 36-hour anaerobic fermentation with an inoculated yeast culture at a controlled temperature.
TASTING NOTES: tropical red fruit, citrus candy, sweet tarts, apple sugar
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
About Sebastian Ramirez
Sebastian Ramirez is the producer behind El Placer, one of the better-known names in Colombia's modern specialty coffee scene.
Pink Bourbon—or Bourbon Rosado—is one of Sebastian's favorite varieties, and this washed process serves as something of a foundation for the rest of his work.
Rather than trying to push the coffee toward maximum fermentation character, the goal here is balance. Sebastian uses the floral and sweet qualities revealed through this process to understand the coffee itself, then uses that knowledge to guide the more experimental processes throughout the El Placer portfolio.
We love that idea: start with the coffee, then decide what the process should do.
About El Placer
El Placer is a little different from a traditional coffee farm.
In the 1980s, the property was a large coffee estate in Quindío, but today roughly half of its original coffee production remains active. The operation has increasingly evolved into a specialized processing facility, with Sebastian overseeing both coffee grown on the property and carefully selected cherries sourced from other producers.
Some of his specialty varieties—including Geisha and portions of his Pink Bourbon production—are sourced from Huila, then brought into the El Placer system where Sebastian develops the fermentation and processing protocols that ultimately shape each coffee.
The property sits between 1,860 and 2,000 meters and spans approximately 24 hectares, with a team of around 10 people expanding to roughly 50 during harvest.
Sebastian has also recently acquired another farm where he plans to focus on more unusual varieties that can be difficult to cultivate in Quindío, continuing to expand an already pretty remarkable collection of genetics.
The Process
The El Placer team begins by hand-picking the ripest cherries and carefully sorting them for quality and density.
The coffee is then depulped and placed into 200-liter tanks, where it undergoes a 36-hour anaerobic fermentation with an inoculated yeast culture at a controlled temperature.
After fermentation, the coffee is rinsed and moved to shaded open patios, where it is dried for approximately five days. Once drying is complete, the coffee is stabilized in a cool, dark environment until it's ready for export.
The result is a beautiful expression of Pink Bourbon: floral and fruit-driven, but exceptionally clean and balanced.
Bean Details
ORIGIN: Quindío, Colombia
PRODUCER: Sebastian Ramirez
FARM / PROCESSING FACILITY: El Placer
ELEVATION: 1,860–2,000 masl
SIZE: 24 hectares
VARIETY: Pink Bourbon / Bourbon Rosado
PROCESS: Yeast Inoculated Washed
FERMENTATION: 36-hour anaerobic fermentation
DRYING: Shaded patios, approximately 5 days
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?
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?