Finca El Paraíso has got a name for producing some interesting coffees. Located in Piendamó in the famous Cauca valley, and run by Diego Bermudez and his family. This coffee is a Gesha variety, which is always a promising start for a beautifully complex coffee, but this coffee is next level. So much so that it might be too good to be true - but that is for you to decide. They create this flavour with a two phase fermentation and “thermal shock” process.
This is their process:
First the coffee is washed with ‘ozonized’ water to reduce microbial load, then it is fermented aerobically for 60 hours at a temperature of 18 degrees. Next, it is de-pulped and then the second phase of fermentation begins, anaerobic for 36 hours at 18 degrees. It is then washed, using thermal shock in order to “transfer and fix the secondary aromas developed in the fermentation phases of the culture medium”. It is first washed at 35 degrees celsius and then at 12 degree celsius. It is dried for 29 hours with a recirculating air of 35 degrees and a relative humidity of 25% until the bean comes down to between 10% and 11% humidity. It is bagged and stabilized for 15 days.
An astonishing process makes for some astonishing notes, think rooibos and peach iced tea.