Black White Roasters - Ivan Solis, Cinnamon Anaerobic
Origin | Santa Maria de Dota, Tarrazu, Costa Rica
Producer | Ivan Solis
Farm | smallholders in El Vapor community
Washing Station | Santa Fe Wet Mill
Process | Cinnamon Anaerobic Washed
Variety | Catuai
Elevation | 1500-1900 masl
NOTES | Sweet Cinnamon, Candied Pecan, White Grape, Shortbread Cookie.
MEET THE PRODUCER | We'll say this about Ivan Solis: we've never seen his LinkedIn profile, but it's got to be pretty impressive. The son of multi-generational agricultural workers, Ivan has worked in food or coffee production in Costa Rica for practically his whole life. He gained extensive experience at two of the largest milling operations in the country before establishing his own wet mill in 2017. He's spent the better part of a decade exploring and experimenting with innovative processing techniques, and his pioneering efforts have earned him the respect and trust of hundreds of farmers in the Tarrazu region. Oh - and he's also been a certified Q Grader since 2009!
That extensive resume is only made richer by the contributions of his sons, Joaquin and Javier, who clearly inherited their father's innovative spirit and tendency toward perfectionism. The last time some of these names showed up on our menu, it was for a uniquely processed "Candy Natural" Catuai lot, and you guys loved it. Today's release is similarly anaerobically fermented but processed as a washed coffee. We originally had this coffee in mind as a potential blend component for our super-special cocktail-themed series, but the end result is so lovely, we had to share it on its own.
TRUST THE PROCESS | First, fresh coffee cherries are brought to the wet mill where the fruit is pulped, but mucilage is not washed from the seed. Everything but the cascara is added to GrainPro bags and combined with cinnamon powder. This mixture is left to ferment in an anaerobic environment for several days before finally being moved to concrete patios to dry.
TAKE A SIP | Confectionary and spiced, this coffee showcases notes like sweet cinnamon and shortbread cookies, reminding us of an assorted holiday cookie tray. Fruit, like white grape, can also be perceived. Finally, there's a nutty characteristic to this cup which, combined with the cinnamon, gives us a delightful note like praline pecans.