Colombia Solsticio - Mixed Fermentation
COLOMBIA
SOLSTICIO
BERRY JAMS, PASSION FRUITS, GRAPE + CARAMEL
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Gigante, Huila, Colombia
PRODUCERS: Coffee Quest
VARIETY: Castillo
ALTITUDE: 1700-2000 masl
PROCESS: see Farm Level
TASTING NOTES: Berry jams, passion fruits, grape, and caramel.
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Colombia Solsticio: A Mixed Fermentation Community Blend
Introduction:
Colombia Solsticio is a fruity, mixed fermentation community blend developed by Coffee Quest. This innovative coffee offers flavors of berry jams, passion fruits, grape, and caramel, while maintaining a clean profile without excessive fermentation notes. It's smooth and sweet with a soft mouthfeel like apple butter.
Origin and Elevation:
- Location: Gigante, Huila, Colombia
- Elevation: 1,700 - 2,000 m.a.s.l.
Processing:
Solsticio undergoes a unique three-stage fermentation process designed by Coffee Quest's R&D team at their Processing HQ – Los Patios.
Stage 1:
- Aerobic fermentation of at least 12 hours at the farm
- Cherries are then de-pulped and brought to Los Patios
Stage 2:
- Development of fruity and tropical notes using Coffee Quest's proprietary "Fruit Juice" recipe
- External controlled fermentation of the "Fruit Juice" solution
Stage 3:
- Addition of the "Fruit Juice" to the de-pulped cherries
- Mixed fermentation: 5 hours aerobic, followed by 12 hours anaerobic
Drying and Storage:
- Controlled drying at Los Patios for 12-16 days with constant movement
- Coffee is dried to 10-11% moisture
- Stored and stabilized in GrainPro bags to improve and enhance the profile
Quality Control:
Coffee Quest prioritizes both cup quality and physical bean quality, aiming to create a unique and replicable profile while preserving the bean's integrity and embryo.
Varieties:
The lot consists of various varieties, with Castillo being the primary one.
Future Prospects:
Coffee Quest views Solsticio as the first step in their Coffee Design and Production Development initiative, focusing on creating clean yet complex cups with immense fruit character.
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?