Colombia - Passion Fruit

Tasting notes: Passion fruit

WHY WE LIKE IT

This was the first co-fermented coffee(with passion fruit) that we brought to Hola and we liked it and you liked it so much, that it's back this year.

This coffee, already pulped, is fermented in a controlled and prolonged manner with a mixture of passion fruit and different yeasts. It is then washed by the usual process, with a clean final result and subtle flavor, less obvious than what you'd normally expect from a co-fermentation. If you're interested in exploring, we explain the process in detail below.

It's vibrant, fresh and tropical. In the tasting notes, as is evident, we find passion fruit and a very fruity character.

However, it has a sweetness reminiscent of cheesecake, with a medium body and creamy texture.

HISTORY

Finca Monteblanco is located in the municipality of Acevedo, in the jurisdiction of San Adolfo, in the La Tocora area, at an altitude of 1,730 meters above sea level. Its surroundings include the Cueva de Los Guácharos National Natural Park, one of the 59 protected areas within Colombia's National Natural Park System. Its proximity to the Suaza River Valley provides a natural connection to the surroundings and all it offers.

Monteblanco is a family farm managed by Rodrigo Sánchez Valencia, continuing the coffee-growing tradition he began with his grandfather. Monteblanco's 14 hectares provide ideal conditions for growing diverse coffee varieties, including Geisha, Bourbon Rosado, Pacamara, Caturra Púrpura, Caturra Rojo, and others. These physical and sensorial conditions have resulted in unique profiles that have earned worldwide recognition and been well received by the most exclusive coffee markets.

Monteblanco experiences an average temperature ranging between 16 and 22 degrees Celsius, with 1,700 hours of sunlight per year, making it ideal for coffee cultivation. The farm features parabolic and shade-rotating drying, extensive washing facilities, wet processing with pulping and fermentation, as well as a chiller that ensures stable temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees Celsius for cold fermentation.

As they themselves state, their goal is to be a sustainable company that leaves its mark on the history of the coffee world. They aspire to break down barriers and limitations, which is why they allow themselves to experiment with new ways of processing coffee:

"The fermentation process remains mysterious territory for us, but observing how the microorganisms, yeasts, enzymes, and everything else that happens at each step is truly impressive. This shows how, as producers, we can maximize our advantages, making the coffee industry remember us for what we have achieved and will continue to achieve with this bean, aspiring to be a benchmark for future generations and leaving a legacy full of curiosity and happiness in discovering the magic of coffee."

VARIETY AND PROCESS

Before starting the process, Rodrigo prepares a special mixture with bacteria: Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces and Cerevisiae, gathering a total of 10 different types of yeast carefully selected to enhance fermentation. To this base he adds passion fruit and Cholupa, an exotic and acidic fruit very popular in soft drinks, which adds a vibrant and tropical touch to the flavor profile. To fuel the fermentation, he incorporates a rich source of sugars such as molasses, panela or granulated sugar. This mixture is sealed and fermented for 8 days, developing complexity and character.

Once harvested, the cherries are pulped and the grain is submerged again in the fermented fruit mixture, where it continues to ferment for 180 additional hours(equivalent to 7.5 days), intensifying its sensory profile.

Once this process is complete, the parchment coffee is washed with clean water and slowly dried in parabolic beds, where it is stirred frequently to achieve even drying. Drying time ranges from 20 and 25 days, allowing for optimal stabilization that guarantees exceptional quality and flavor in every cup.

For this process, Purple Caturra was chosen due to its high sugar content, which allows the microorganisms to have an optimal area to work.

This co-fermentation process achieves a balance that highlights the fruit notes without overpowering the flavor and overshadowing the coffee.

RECIPE

For filter:

We use 18 grams of ground coffee and 320 grams of final water at 92°C, in a total time of 2'15" / 2'30". We make five pours:

Pouring 50g of water in 30"

Pouring 110 gr of water up to 1'

Pouring 170 gr of water up to 1'25"

Pouring 270 gr of water up to 1'35"

Pouring 320 gr of water up to 2'35"

EXPERIMENTATION VARIABLES

Rest: 2 weeks (15-20 days)

Method: V60

Mill: EK43

Water: Pentair Everpure 70ppm