Colombia Sebastian Ramirez Co-Ferment. Decaf Coffee (#019)

Onyx Coffee LabKnown as one of North America's leading roasters, Onyx Coffee Lab roast some the best specialty coffees in the world. Named 2020's champions of the US Brewers Cup and US Barista Championship, and placing second at the US Brewers Cup Championship, there really isn't much with speciality coffee that Onyx Coffee Lab can't do.

The story began years ago when they started telling each other to “Never Settle for Good Enough.” It perhaps felt more like a piece of branding or a slogan, but over the years this mentality has developed into a mantra of its own that permeates everything that they do at Onyx Coffee Lab.

Coffee InformationThis is a unique fruit-infused decaffeinated micro-lot from our friend Sebastian Ramirez. Sebas often experiments at El Placer with the addition of fruit within the fermentation process, and this particular coffee has been co-fermented with red fruits, imparting a strong flavor of fruit throughout the drinking experience.

Farmer InformationThere are two mountain ranges spanning from the north border of Colombia to the South where it meets Ecuador. Nestled within the Occidental range, you’ll find some of the world's best coffees growing within Quindio. One producer contributing to this high reputation is Sebastian Ramirez, a fourth-generation producer and owner of El Placer Farms, an experimental commercial project where he produces amazing coffees. Within his tenure of growing coffee, Sebastian has planted Gesha, Red, Pink and Yellow Bourbon, as well as Wush Wush. His focus is not only on growing exotic varieties, but also on processing and extended fermentations. Sebastian controls variables like temperature and PH during his limited oxygen fermentation, and he also adds a mosto, a glucose-laden liquid that is left from the anaerobic fermentation of coffee cherries. The addition of this liquid innoculates the fermentation process with the dominate yeast and bacteria from the last fermentation, ideally creating a homogenous profile across processing.

Co-Fermentation Information “Infused. Co-fermented. Inoculated." These words are often used to describe the process of co-fermentation. This is not a new practice (producers in some regions have been adding Cinnamon to fermentation tanks for years.) However, this new trend of applying different additives to fermentation or drying has taken off in the past few years. This polarizing practice involves adding anything from essential oils to fruit to spices to green coffee in order to create a dominant flavor profile that carries to the brewed cup. The cases have been argued whether the market drives these or the production of them creates demand; either way, this is one side of coffee production and processing that is being explored. As a roaster, the cornerstone of this processing method is transparency and a do-no-harm approach with infusions, ensuring the end consumer is aware of the alteration of the green coffee structure and, therefore, the brewed coffee.

The actual processing applied to this coffee is straightforward: there is an initial pre-fermentation of the cherry, followed by a depulp and a patio drying. During the drying phase, tangerine peels from the local market are added to the parchment coffee. The fruit esters penetrate the permeable structure of the green coffee, providing a lasting and pungent flavor through the drying process, roasting, and brewing. This process has caused quite a stir within certain circles of the specialty community, some going as far as deeming it outside of the realm of specialty. Still, it’s always been essential for us to reflect and share the many facets of coffee, especially when they’re as delicious as this offering.

Cupping NotesStrawberry / Milk Chocolate / Sugar / Banana