Candy-like, sweet, and thoroughly playful—that’s Watermelon Rocket from the Dutch roastery Sprout Coffee Roasters. The flavor profile alone suggests that you shouldn’t expect anything conventional here. In the cup, notes of watermelon candy, strawberry gum, and cotton candy come together, complemented by higher acidity and pronounced sweetness. The coffee is roasted very light, and Sprout recommends it primarily for drip brewing, where its distinctive fruity-sweet character can truly shine.
Behind this Colombian Caturra is producer Julio Cesar Madrid and the Finca Milan farm. The coffee comes from the Risaralda region and is grown at an elevation of 1,600 meters. It is 100% Arabica of the Caturra variety, which in this case is associated with a truly unconventional flavor profile. Sprout describes the coffee as having high sweetness, medium-high acidity, and a medium body, resulting in a distinctive yet balanced cup.
Just as interesting as the flavor is the processing method itself, which is labeled “Nitrous Ferment Anaerobic Washed.” It is a combination of anaerobic fermentation followed by washed processing. The specific part labeled “Nitrous Ferment” is responsible for the unconventional nature of the process. After the fermentation phase, the coffee is processed using the washed method, which generally helps preserve the clarity and distinctiveness of individual flavors.
- Producer: Julio Cesar Madrid
- Altitude: 1,400 m above sea level
- Variety: Caturra
- Processing: Nitrous Ferment Anaerobic Washed (Watermelon co-ferment)
- Origin - La Milán, Calarcá, Quindío, Colombia