Brayan Alvear - Lemon Bourbon

MEET THE PRODUCER | At 20 years old, Brayan Alvear might just be the youngest producer to headline one of our releases! Brayan was born and raised in the rural town of Acevedo, where his dad began teaching him about coffee when he turned thirteen. Just last year, Brayan coordinated a project involving 60 coffee growers in the San Adolfo region of Colombia, collecting and selling coffees in cherry from some of the most remote locations in the region. And, he managed to do all of that while also navigating fatherhood for the first time. Both his personal and professional stories affected one of our own, Anthony Ragler, so much so that he used one of Brayan's co-fermented coffees as his milk course at the US Barista Championship last Spring.

TRUST THE PROCESS | After being picked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are pulped. Then, they take up residence in an anaerobic environment, where they are left to ferment alongside indigenous lemon peels and lemongrass for about 48 hours. They finish up the process by taking a spin in mechanical dryers, until optimal moisture content is achieved.

TAKE A SIP | You'll notice right away that this coffee is floral and fragrant (shoutout to the lemongrass!), but it's also quite balanced - you may not even realize it's a co-fermented coffee at first sip. Brayan's goal in this processing endeavor was to highlight and emphasize the existing flavor characteristics of the Pink Bourbon variety, and this coffee's floral and citrus characteristics are a testament to his success. It also has a complex sweetness that reminds us of things like orange marmalade, shortbread cookies, and amber honey.

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Origin | Acevedo, San Adolfo, Huila, Colombia

Producer | Brayan Alvear

Process | Co-ferment

Variety | Pink Bourbon

Elevation | 1400-1600 masl