Colombia El Vergel

Watermelon, Kiwi, Lychee, Mandarin, Pure chocolate

We’re delighted to have another fruity bombshell from our friends over at Forest coffee – who were also responsible for blessing us with the very popular Bubblegum coffee earlier this year. Surrounded by guava trees, this coffee has one of the most intense and fruity profiles on the El Vergel estate. Martha Montenegro is the mind behind the meticulous processing of this coffee. The beans undergo a 48-60 hour anaerobic fermentation, which does much to enhance the flavor of the coffee before it even gets anywhere near our coffee roaster. The beans are then dried in the sun on raised beds until 30% moisture is achieved, then moved to mechanical drying in circular dryers until they achieve 18%-16% moisture. After a pre-stabilization stall to intensify flavors, the drying process is completed mechanically until optimal moisture is achieved. The beans are then stabilized for 45 days in GrainPro bags, ensuring consistency and quality.

This light-roasted coffee is perfect for those of you who enjoy playing around with filter coffee recipes at home. When set well, this coffee will reward you with a rich kiwi-like acidity as well as some softer fruity notes such as watermelon and lychee. What caught us by surprise was the rich aftertaste, which reminded us of a high-quality chocolate bar melting on the tongue. Simply lovely! As espresso, this coffee is a hard beast to tame, but we found good results with a lower dose (18 grams in 20g portafilter basket) and a 22-26 second extraction time. It’s well worth the reward if you like a challenge!