BERRY FREEZE is a coffee from the Amsterdam-based roastery DAK Coffee Roasters. It will surprise you with its sweetness against the backdrop of a classic washed process. The cup is dominated by forest fruits in the form of a refreshing gelato, complemented by delicate floral notes and an elegant hint of black tea. The washed method usually results in a clean and fresher profile, but BERRY FREEZE offers more sweetness than you might expect. The result is a rich coffee with a pleasant depth that’s perfect for pour-over.
Behind this coffee is Jorge Rojas and his farm, Finca El Proceso, in Colombia. He harvests the coffee cherries at an altitude of 2,050 meters above sea level, where cool nights and ideal high-altitude conditions allow the Chiroso variety to ripen slowly and naturally develop its sweetness and floral aroma. Chiroso is a variety related to the Bourbon family, which, at Colombian altitudes, gives the beans their characteristic elegance and fruity clarity.
After each harvest, Rojas transports the cherries down from the mountains to his processing station, La Roca, in Planadas. There, he first sorts them in water to remove defective beans, then hulls them and lets them rest overnight. In the morning, they are washed, and then the coffee is dried for 15 days in so-called marquesinas—covered drying sheds that protect the beans from rain and ensure even drying. It is precisely this precision at every step that accounts for the unusual sweetness and clarity of the cup. When it’s the DAK roasters’ turn, the result is this excellent, ice-cream-like coffee.
- Producer: Jorge Rojas
- Farm: Finca El Proceso
- Altitude: 2,050 m a.s.l.