Our newest coffee comes from Finca El Paraíso, near Piendamó in Cauca, Colombia. Diego Samuel Bermúdez grows it and processes it with a thermal shock method he developed at the farm, and the cup tastes like lychee and peach. Fermentation creates those flavors. The process adds no fruit and no flavoring.
Quick facts
| Coffee | Colombia El Paraiso Lychee Peach |
|---|---|
| Country | Colombia |
| Region | Piendamó, Cauca |
| Producer | Diego Samuel Bermúdez |
| Varietal | Castillo |
| Process | Anaerobic washed, thermal shock |
| Tasting notes | Lychee, peach and caramel |
| Body | Juicy, medium |
| Availability | Limited quantities |
| Sourced with | JA Coffee |
Where it grows
Cauca sits in southwestern Colombia, in the mountains between the Pacific coast and the central Andes. Farms around Piendamó grow coffee at high altitude, where cool nights slow the ripening of the cherry. A slower ripening gives the plant more time to build sugars, and this process depends on that sugar. Volcanic soil and steady rainfall do the rest.
The people who grow it
Diego Samuel Bermúdez runs Finca El Paraíso with his family. He trained in agricultural enterprise management, and he runs the farm like a lab. His team logs fermentation times, temperatures and pH for every lot, then adjusts the next one from the data. His brother Alex works alongside him. Baristas have taken El Paraíso lots to national and world competitions, and producers across Colombia study his processing methods.
The process behind the name
It starts with ripe Castillo cherries in sealed tanks, fermenting without oxygen for 72 hours. A second phase runs 36 hours. Diego then washes the coffee with hot water and rinses it with cold water right after. The sudden change in temperature gives thermal shock its name, and it helps the bean hold on to the aromatic compounds built during fermentation.
The fermentation culture comes from the coffee plant itself. Diego builds it from coffee cherry extract, coffee flower extract, mucilage and selected yeast. The lychee and peach notes grow out of that culture. No fruit enters the tank at any point.
Why we picked this lot
The cup comes first: lychee and peach show up clearly, and caramel sweetness keeps the cup grounded and balanced. The sourcing comes second. One farm, one producer, and a process we can explain step by step. The third reason is range. Castillo is Colombia's workhorse varietal, planted across the country for its resilience. This lot shows what careful processing can pull out of it.
How to brew it
Start with a ratio of 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water (1:16), which is about 62 grams per liter, and use water just off the boil. Pour-over and drip both suit it. Taste it black first so the lychee and peach come through, then add milk if you like. Order it as whole beans, or pick your grind at checkout.
[IMAGE: a pour-over kettle pouring over a bed of medium-roast grounds]
Frequently asked questions
What does Colombia El Paraiso Lychee Peach taste like?
Lychee, peach and caramel, with a juicy, medium body.
Does this coffee contain lychee or peach?
No. The names describe flavors that the fermentation creates. The process uses no added fruit and no flavoring.
What is thermal shock?
A washing step. After fermentation, Diego rinses the coffee with hot water and then with cold water. The quick change in temperature helps the bean keep the aromas built during fermentation.
Who grows this coffee?
Diego Samuel Bermúdez and his family at Finca El Paraíso, in Piendamó, Cauca, Colombia.
Will it always be available?
No. The farm produces this lot in limited quantities, so once it sells out, it is gone.
Taste it while it lasts. Shop Colombia El Paraiso Lychee Peach at queenbean.ca
