Background:
Roasters note: This coffee is an experimental lot from the famed producer Alejo Castro. The typical florals from the gesha variety are mixed well with candy like processing notes from the extended dry anaerobic fermentation. This is a great example of “a coffee that doesn’t really taste like coffee”.
As they’re preparing to harvest, Alejo and his team measure the brix content of the mucilage of the coffee cherries to determine the best time to pick them. Usually, they start at 22 brix content (depending on the variety, but have had measurements of 28 or even 30).
After picking they float, remove the skin and then put the pulped coffee cherries in anaerobic tanks with a valve that lets the oxygen out, replacing it with CO2 (hence the term anaerobic). By not washing the coffee after pulping and fermenting them “dry” they increase the perceived sweetness in the final cup. A risk of this extended fermentation is adding boozy notes which they counter by controlling the temperature and not letting it run too hot.
COUNTRY Costa Rica
AREA Tarrazú
VARIETAL Gesha
PROCESSING Anaerobic Natural
PRODUCER Alejo Castro Khale
FARM Finca Volcán Azul
MILL On site
OWNER Alejo Castro Khale
ROASTED FOR Espresso & Filter