MEET THE PRODUCER | Like many of the producers featured on our menu, Huver Castillo comes from a long line of coffee growers in Colombia - but that wasn't exactly part of the plan. For all of his adult life up until 2015, Huver worked as a math teacher in his hometown of Nariño. But, he made the decision to return to his coffee growing roots after global coffee prices plummeted in 2014, putting his family's farm - and livelihood - at great risk. After years of trial and error and with new protocols in place, the Castillo family exported their first lots of specialty coffee in 2018. This shift from commodity to specialty, plus a tireless focus on quality and improving processing techniques, helped to sustain the family business. Today, Huver works alongside his father on a farm that's been in his family for over twenty years, and he couldn't be prouder of their resilience and achievement. TRUST THE PROCESS | After being picked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are separated and spread out in a climate-controlled environment, where they are allowed to oxidize for 48 hours to enhance the fruit flavors you're going to taste as you sip this coffee. Next, the coffee is de-pulped and a portion of the mucilage is retained, being combined with molasses and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to create a "fermentation starter." Two rounds of fermentation then ensue: first, a 48-hr aerobic fermentation with plenty of stirring and the addition of lixiviates. Then, a 48-hr lactic fermentation, wherein a fresh inoculum of LAB is introduced and the environment is made anaerobic, which better supports lactic fermentation. Finally, the beans are carefully washed and spread out to gradually dry, until a moisture content of 10-12% is achieved. TAKE A SIP | The unique processing detailed above results in a cup of coffee that expresses the Pink Bourbon variety in a delightfully different way. Two rare fruit notes, honeycrisp apple and guava, are a lively surprise at first sip. The cup is sweet throughout, like turbinado sugar. Even the acidity is kissed by that sweetness, reminding us of candied lemons. ___________________________________________________________________________ **Origin |**Nariño, Buesaco, Colombia Producer | Huver Castillo Farm | El Paseo Process | Oxidation with Lactic Fermentation Variety | Pink Bourbon Elevation | 1800 masl

MEET THE PRODUCER | Like many of the producers featured on our menu, Huver Castillo comes from a long line of coffee growers in Colombia - but that wasn't exactly part of the plan. For all of his adult life up until 2015, Huver worked as a math teacher in his hometown of Nariño. But, he made the decision to return to his coffee growing roots after global coffee prices plummeted in 2014, putting his family's farm - and livelihood - at great risk. After years of trial and error and with new protocols in place, the Castillo family exported their first lots of specialty coffee in 2018. This shift from commodity to specialty, plus a tireless focus on quality and improving processing techniques, helped to sustain the family business. Today, Huver works alongside his father on a farm that's been in his family for over twenty years, and he couldn't be prouder of their resilience and achievement. TRUST THE PROCESS | After being picked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are separated and spread out in a climate-controlled environment, where they are allowed to oxidize for 48 hours to enhance the fruit flavors you're going to taste as you sip this coffee. Next, the coffee is de-pulped and a portion of the mucilage is retained, being combined with molasses and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to create a "fermentation starter." Two rounds of fermentation then ensue: first, a 48-hr aerobic fermentation with plenty of stirring and the addition of lixiviates. Then, a 48-hr lactic fermentation, wherein a fresh inoculum of LAB is introduced and the environment is made anaerobic, which better supports lactic fermentation. Finally, the beans are carefully washed and spread out to gradually dry, until a moisture content of 10-12% is achieved. TAKE A SIP | The unique processing detailed above results in a cup of coffee that expresses the Pink Bourbon variety in a delightfully different way. Two rare fruit notes, honeycrisp apple and guava, are a lively surprise at first sip. The cup is sweet throughout, like turbinado sugar. Even the acidity is kissed by that sweetness, reminding us of candied lemons. ___________________________________________________________________________ **Origin |**Nariño, Buesaco, Colombia Producer | Huver Castillo Farm | El Paseo Process | Oxidation with Lactic Fermentation Variety | Pink Bourbon Elevation | 1800 masl