COLOMBIA LAS FLORES JHOAN VERGARA

Jhoan himself became more interested in his parents’ trade and all that specialty coffee had to offer. He attended SENA (the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje, or National Training Service) where he learned about agronomy, as well as cupping, roasting, and brewing coffee. At SENA, he made a connection with a likeminded young producer named Nestor Lasso.

In 2008, Las Flores was devastated by coffee leaf rust. The Vergaras replanted new varieties that were more resistant and had higher cup quality, including java. The Lassos and Vergaras began working together on processing experimentation and sometimes share infrastructure as well as knowledge.

For this java lot, the coffee cherries are rinsed and sorted, then sit in an open-air tank for 12 hours of oxidative fermentation. After de-pulping, the coffee beans are fermented in an anaerobic environment inside sealed tanks, which are vented for off-gassing. After 48 hours of anaerobic fermentation, they go through another 36 hours of open-air fermentation. The coffee is then washed. The final stage is known as thermal shock, which involves rinsing with hot water (50 degrees C) followed by a cold water rinse to rapidly cool the coffee. Drying takes place in mechanical dryers for 36 hours.

As Jhoan told export partners at Shared Source, each stage of the processing is done with intention and purpose. Oxidation enhances and intensifies flavors and the anaerobic fermentation produces sweet, floral and fruity notes. This is exemplified by the La Flores java, with articulate florals and complex sweetness.