The Finca El Placer farm is owned by Sebastián Ramírez, a fourth generation coffee farmer. He has been running the family farm for more than ten years. Sebastián uses dry, washed and semi-washed coffee processes and all varieties undergo carbonic maceration. He tries to minimize water consumption on the farm, so conventional washed processes are being abandoned. In his quest to maximize the flavor potential of each variety, Sebastián takes it a step further by trying to preserve as much of the coffee cherry as possible during fermentation.
Colombia
El Eje Cafetero, Quindio
Finca El Placer
1500 – 1744 m
1000 ha
Gesha, Wush Wush, Pink Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Caturra, Castillo, Colombia
Coffee processing: hand-picked, only ripe cherries are hand-picked from the tree. The selection is continued by immersing the whole cherries in tanks of water and removing the floating beans called flotes. This ensures that only the best cherries undergo the fermentation process. Finally, the coffee cherries are still sorted by hand to ensure the best selection of coffee. At the beginning of each process, the cherries are sealed in 200-liter plastic containers filled with CO2, carbon dioxide. Thanks to the CO2, the cherries are carbonically macerated in the plastic containers.
“At the beginning of each process, the cherries are sealed in 200-liter plastic containers filled with CO2, carbon dioxide.”
The processing phase of the honey method can take several hours. In the first step, the cherries are partially crushed, leaving a juicy pulp. This is followed by carbonic maceration in plastic tanks. The coffee is then partially washed and carbonic macerated again. During fermentation, the pH level and temperature are carefully monitored. Finally, the coffee is dried on African beds called Marquesinas. The drying process takes up to 30 days or until the coffee reaches the desired moisture content of between 10 % and 12 %.
The dry or natural process is a one-off fermentation process that can take up to 700 hours depending on the desired flavor and overall coffee profile Sebastian wants to achieve. The coffee is fermented in its own pulp. It is then dried, as with the other processes, for 30 days. This is followed by dehulling and proper storage of the coffee in jute bags to stabilize the flavors.
Harvesting and sorting of Castillo cherries by processed fermentations with maracuja in five steps:
Harvesting and grading of Castillo cherries by processed fermentation with dark grapes in five steps:
Harvesting and grading of Castillo cherries by processed fermentation with strawberries and cranberries in five steps:
Harvesting and sorting of Caturra – Orange fruit cherries:
1) Harvesting and sorting of cherries (95% ripe, 5% semi-ripe).
2) Anaerobic fermentation in 200 litre tanks for 120 hours at a constant temperature of 18 °C with CO2 injection and the addition of wine yeasts
3) Cleaning the coffee from the skin followed by anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours with CO2 injection + addition of dehydrated peaches with glucose – monitor the PH in the tank.
4) The first stage is the drying process in which the drying of the coffee is checked at 40 °C and 25% humidity for approximately 15 days.
5) The second stage of drying takes place in the shade of the tree canopy for approximately 5 days. All the drying stages are slow and controlled.
6) Stabilisation of the grain. The coffee waits for 15 days in GrainPro bags to stabilise its flavours.
Harvesting and sorting Pink Bourbon cherries – Lychee
Harvesting and sorting Pink Bourbon cherries – Hops:
Harvesting and sorting Pink Bourbon – Cinnamon cherries
Harvesting and sorting Wush wush natural cherries:
1) Harvesting and sorting of cherries (95% ripe, 5% semi-ripe).
2) Anaerobic fermentation in 200 litre tanks for 280 hours at a constant temperature of 18 °C with CO2 injection and the use of ‚mostto‘ (i.e. inoculated pulp)
3) The first stage is the drying stage, during which the drying of the coffee is checked at 40 °C and 25 % humidity for approximately 15 days. The second stage of drying takes place in the shade of the tree canopy for approximately 5 days. All the drying stages are slow and controlled.
4) Stabilisation of the grain. The coffee waits for 15 days in GrainPro bags to stabilise its flavours.
Harvesting and sorting Caturra cherries – Green fruits
1) Harvesting and sorting of cherries (95% ripe, 5% semi-ripe).
Anaerobic fermentation in 200 litre tanks for 120 hours at a constant temperature of 18 °C with CO2 injection and the addition of wine yeasts
2) Cleaning the coffee of the skin, followed by anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours with CO2 injection + addition of dehydrated fruit – lulo (Colombian fruit, something between kiwi and lime) + glucose in the fruit – monitoring PH.
3) The first stage is the drying process in which the drying of the coffee is checked at 40°C and 25% humidity for approximately 15 days. The second phase of drying is carried out in the shade in the canopy of the tree for approximately 5 days. All the drying stages are slow and controlled.
Stabilisation of the grain.
4) The coffee waits for 15 days in GrainPro bags to stabilise its flavours.
Harvesting and sorting Gesha cherries in five steps:
The process of the Caturra Decaf variety