Specialty coffee · Worth knowing

Alma Silvestre Farm in Colombia's Quindío region uses an innovative OxiWashed processing method for their Pink Bourbon coffee, which introduces controlled oxidation during fermentation to develop greater clarity and structure. This technique intentionally incorporates oxygen during fermentation to balance microbial activity and fermentation compounds, shaping flavor and aromatic development before the coffee is washed and solar-dried. The farm, established by Carlos Alberto Quiroga and now led by his son Santiago (who left his corporate law career to pursue the venture), combines traditional hand-picking with sustainable practices including 100% solar drying and water-saving equipment, resulting in a clean, precisely profiled coffee with expressive fruit character and lively acidity suited for lighter roasts.

This Ethiopian coffee from Rumudamo showcases an innovative anaerobic washed processing technique that ferments whole cherries in barrels for up to 144 hours before de-pulping and washing. The producer offers four distinct processing variations of the same coffee—Natural, Washed, Anaerobic Washed, and Anaerobic Natural—allowing specialty enthusiasts to directly experience how different fermentation and processing methods unlock distinct flavor profiles. Grown at 2200-2400 meters altitude by 600 smallholder farmers cultivating the disease-resistant 74112 variety, this lot demonstrates the craft involved in controlling fermentation through careful rotation and drying, with the anaerobic method producing clean florals and stone fruit complexity.

Beneficio San Diego, a historic Costa Rican coffee mill founded in 1888, is leading innovation in specialty coffee processing through anaerobic fermentation techniques. For this Costa Rican coffee, the mill selects only the ripest cherries from Tarrazú's highest slopes and ferments them in an oxygen-deprived environment to develop distinct acids and flavors, followed by sun-drying and storage to allow further character development. The anaerobic process, combined with the high sugar content of ripe cherries, produces a recognizable cinnamon flavor profile. The beneficio's long history of experimentation and focus on efficiency, quality, and sustainable production has established it as a leader in developing new processing techniques within Costa Rica's specialty coffee industry.