Black White Roasters - Sebastian Ramirez, Peach

Origin | Quindío, Colombia

Producer | Sebastián Ramírez

Farm | Fincas El Placer

Process | Peach Co-ferment

Variety | Caturra

Elevation | 1744 masl

NOTES  | Peach Rings, Fruit Loops, Kiwi, Lemon Custard.

MEET THE PRODUCER | Sebastián Ramírez is a fourth-generation coffee producer who began as a traditional grower over twelve years ago, but he soon started exploring the nuances of fermentation and today is regarded as a master of processes like co-fermentation and carbonic maceration. His mission is to make coffee both accessible and exciting, and Sebastián champions those efforts both in his processing endeavors and as a mentor for the Young Producer Program. Both Sebastián and his coffees can be accurately described as "anything but ordinary," and we are thrilled to showcase two examples of his triumphs in processing with all of you at home!

TRUST THE PROCESS | To repeat the refrain that Sebastián's peach co-fermented Caturra lot is anything but ordinary might sound redundant, but it's also a bit of an understatement. Unlike other co-fermented coffees we've featured in the past, this one uses not just fruit, but also wine yeast and fruit glucose, during the fermentation process. The wine yeast is the first to arrive at the party, mingling with the freshly picked and sorted coffee cherries during 120 hours of anaerobic fermentation. Next, the coffee cherries are de-pulped before being subjected to an additional 72 hours of anaerobic fermentation, this time alongside dehydrated peaches, fruit glucose, annndddddd CO2 (because, Sebastián just can't help himself). Finally, the coffee is removed to special structures called marquesinas for drying. These special drying vessels are held at constant temperature (40 degrees Celsius) and humidity (25%) with round-the-clock monitoring until the lot reaches optimal and even moisture content, or about 20 days.

TAKE A SIP | Listen. We love a good co-fermented coffee. You've seen them on our menu dozens of times. But the truth that's hard to ignore is: sometimes, co-fermented coffees taste a lot like the fruit with which they're fermented and not much like anything else. Well folks, that is not the case with Sebastián's expertly curated peach Caturra lot! The variety stands its ground in the cup, leaving us with an intensely fruit, yet wonderfully balanced, coffee. The peach flavor is more effervescent in nature, and the overall fruit profile reminded us of delightfully nostalgic sweets like peach rings and Fruit Loops. Citrus, sweetness, and a rogue vanilla note blend together to give us something like lemon custard. And finally, there's an insane green flavor that's almost-herbal-but-also-tangy, reminding our palettes of kiwi.