Red Plum decaf

Origin

• 🇨🇴 Colombia· Cauca

Tasting notes

Character

• Bright
  80
• Experimental
  50
• Clean
  45
• Funky
  40
• Sweet
  25

With this incredibly juicyAcidityThe bright, lively, fruit-like sensation in coffee — praise, not a flaw. Citric sparkle, malic apple-crispness, tartaric wine notes; light roasts preserve more of it. and distinctive decaf, we were awarded Decaf of the Year in April 2026. This coffee comes from Finca El Paraíso , one of the most talked-about farms in Cauca —known for pushing processing far beyond traditional boundaries. Led by Diego Samuel Bermúdez , the farm has built a reputation for approaching coffee with a scientific, almost laboratory-level precision. While many producers focus primarily on terroirTerroirBorrowed from wine: the way a place — soil, altitude, climate, even neighboring crops — expresses itself in the cup, independent of variety and process. and varietyVariety (cultivar)The botanical subtype of the coffee plant — Gesha, Bourbon, SL28 — analogous to grape varieties in wine. A major driver of cup character alongside origin and process., El Paraíso is defined by its mastery of process. Here, fermentation is never left to chance. Every variable is controlled: temperature, time, oxygen levels, and the careful use of selected yeast and bacteria cultures, alongside precise monitoring of pH and sugar content (Brix). For this Red Plum lot, the process begins with the harvest of overripe cherries. At this stage, the pulp is rich in tannins, polyphenols, esters, and other compounds that, through extended contact with the seed, intensify the development of deep red fruit characteristics. The cherries are then transferred to fermentation tanks, where they undergo a 36-hour anaerobic fermentationAnaerobic fermentationCherries or depulped seeds ferment in sealed, oxygen-free tanks. Produces intense, unusual flavors — cinnamon, bubblegum, boozy fruit — that divide opinion. submerged in water. After this stage, the coffee is pulped and demucilaginated. The removed mucilage and pulp are not discarded—they are used to cultivate specific microorganisms in a controlled environment, creating a culture medium rich in aromatic precursors. This culture medium is reintroduced to the coffee during a second fermentation phase of 12 hours, allowing these precursors to bind more effectively to the beans under controlled pressure. Finally, a thermal shockThermal shockAn experimental process that hits fermented cherry with rapid hot-then-cold water changes to lock aromatics into the seed. Associated with ultra-expressive competition lots. is applied—stabilizing and locking in the aromatic compounds, while preparing the coffee for a clean and controlled drying phase. Origin: Piendamo, Cauca-Colombia Bean: CastilloCastilloColombia's leaf-rust-resistant variety, bred by Cenicafé from Caturra and Timor hybrid. Long dismissed by purists, it now wins competitions when grown and processed well. Roast: Light Weight: 200g Flavour notes: Raspberry, Lime, Brown sugar 🥉 Winner of the 2026 “DECAF OF THE YEAR”, Helsinki Coffee Festival