Introducing a coffee that will completely enchant you with its exceptional aroma. We are talking about this washed pink bourbon from Dark Arts Coffee, which will captivate you with its sweet strawberry yogurt notes, fresh cranberry flavors, and a clean finish reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. Make your day better with this amazing coffee!
Alexander Vargas is a coffee producer from Palestina in the Colombian province of Huila, who grows exceptional Pink Bourbon coffee at an altitude of 1,900 meters above sea level. His journey began at the age of 13, when he worked on his neighbor's farm, who was the first in southern Huila to introduce special coffee processing methods. After years of saving, he bought 11 hectares of land in 2008 and has since expanded his farm to 14 hectares of coffee, also processing cherries for neighboring farmers. Alexander is known for his meticulous approach, using extended fermentation and a fully washed process, even hiring workers to hand-pick cherries and parchment to avoid phenolic defects caused by problems at high altitudes. A multiple Cup of Excellence contestant—he placed 7th in 2021 —he continues to innovate and recently reintroduced shade trees to improve biodiversity and soil health. In addition to coffee, Alexander grows pitaya, yuca, and beans to feed his household and create more stable year-round employment for his workers.
In the washed method, the cherries first pass through a pulper, which removes the skin and pulp. The remaining green beans with pulp residue are then fermented for several hours to make it easier to separate the remaining pulp. In this case, the fermentation phase is significantly prolonged to bring out the resulting juiciness of the coffee. After fermentation, the beans are washed with water to remove any remaining sugar. The coffee is then dried in the sun on concrete slabs or raised beds. In some cases, mechanical dryers are used if outdoor conditions are not suitable. The resulting coffee processed using this method has a cleaner taste, higher acidity, and distinct fruity notes.
- Altitude: 1,900 meters above sea level.