Columbia Catiope Natural Lactic Process 250g

Origin Story:

We are so excited to be able to share this weird and wonderful micro lot with you. We have secured a very small amount of this coffee so it really wont be around for very long. Lactic fermentation is yet another cutting edge process that truly celebrates the innovation of coffee producers that are searching for new taste experiences in coffee.

El Mirador is a 32-hectare farm located near the town of Pitalito in Huila. Elkin Guzman’s family has a history of over 70 years in the coffee business, 12 of which were dedicated to researching post-harvest processing techniques. 30 Hectares of the farm are dedicated to growing exotic coffee varieties like Catiope, Mokka, Tabi, Geisha, as well as Orange, Striped, and Pink Bourbon. The remaining hectares of land are used to grow a Caturra variety for experimental lots. During harvest, a process of meticulous selection of ripe cherries allows only the sweetest fruits to be passed on. Elkin has standardized the workflow and processing procedures to ensure consistency and quality control at each step. His innovative approaches to fermentation and immaculate attention to detail have made this farm a benchmark in the industry for the quality lots it produces. His passion and eagerness to learn continues to excite us as this year's harvest is even more ecstatic than the last.

The picked cherries are sterilized in a salt solution, creating a biome conducive to specific bacteria propagation, which in the case of lactic fermentation, is lactobacillus. The coffee cherries undergo 120-160 hours of dry fermentation and dehydration where the excess moisture content in the cherry begins to decline to ideal levels before drying. Finally, the cherries are placed on a covered raised bed to dry for 25 days.

If you would like to know more about the lactic process and what this means to your coffee, we have a guide on our blog!