Jhoan Vergara - Thermal Shock Gesha

MEET THE PRODUCER | Coming from a long line of coffee producers in Colombia, Jhoan Vergara left high school at 15 years old to attend SENA, where prospective coffee producers go to learn the craft. Jhoan's early interest in coffee quality and processing experimentation has led to his farm, Las Flores, being named among the "holy trinity" of coffees coming from Lohas Beans (alongside Nestor Lasso's El Diviso, and the Gasca brothers' Zarza). His unique processing protocols, such as the low-impact thermal shock described below, have led to some really impressive lots in recent years, including today's "mega-Gesha" Gesha lot.

TRUST THE PROCESS | After being picked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are first subjected to 24-48 hours of fermentation in cherry. After this, they are floated to equalize temperature, de-pulped, and sealed up in plastic bags for a carefully controlled round of anaerobic fermentation. During this fermentation stage, Jhoan periodically adds the same microorganisms present on the Gesha cherries he's growing to the fermentation environment. Finally, the lot undergoes a thermal shock of hot water, helping to open the coffee pores and intensify both sweetness and acidity.

TAKE A SIP | By adding those familiar microorganisms to the coffee cherries during fermentation, Jhoan hoped to amplify all of those beloved Gesha characteristics - and man, did he succeed. This coffee is hyper clean, vibrant, citrusy, and floral, with the floral (magnolia), stone fruit (white peach), and citrus (lemonade) notes turned up to a ten. The whole experience is something like sipping a lovely oolong tea.

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Origin | Bruselas, Huila, Colombia

Producer | Jhoan Vergara

Farm | Las Flores

Process | Thermal Shock

Variety |  Gesha

Elevation | 2000 masl