Wilton Benitez - Thermal Shock Gesha

MEET THE PRODUCER | Wilton Benitez is the owner of an innovative coffee company in the Cauca region of Colombia called Granja El Paraíso-92. Both the company and Wilton are renowned for growing unique coffee varietals and for pioneering new methods of coffee processing in the region. But, before Wilton added "coffee pioneer" to his LinkedIn profile, he was a trained chemical engineer! He has since redirected his scientific expertise toward his lifelong passion for cultivating coffee, and processing triumphs like this one are a delicious testament to that endeavor.

We had the distinct privilege of connecting with Wilton and his team thanks to a mutual friend, Juan Diaz of Knowhere Coffee, and our partners at CoTrade Imports. We are so thankful for the introduction!

TRUST THE PROCESS | After being handpicked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are sorted for quality by both size and density. They then undergo two rounds of sterilization, first with ozonated water, and second with ultraviolet light. The coffee cherries then undergo two rounds of fermentation: first, for 52 hours of anaerobic fermentation in cherry at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, during which time yeast is added to the mixture. While this initial round of fermentation is underway, the mucilage is recovered so that it can be added back to the fermentation environment in the next round. The cherries are then pulped before heading into round two: anaerobic fermentation in mucilage for 48 hours, at a slightly warmer temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. After this, they are washed using a thermal shock method: first, with water at 40 degrees Celsius, and second, with water at a chilly 12 degrees Celsius. Finally (finally!), the cherries are dried for 36 hours at a variable temperature (40 degrees Celsius for the first 12 hours, and 35 degrees Celsius for the following twenty-four).

TAKE A SIP | This coffee is an beautiful example of Wilton's ability to show restraint in processing. In sharp contrast to his Pink Bourbon lot we featured a few weeks ago, a sip of this Gesha lot really showcases variety over fermentation. Floral like honeysuckle, this coffee is delightfully tropical but not at all boozy - think pineapple, guava, and passionfruit candy. Complex and lovely, it's an excellent entry point into advanced fermentation techniques. 

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Origin | Piendamó, Cauca, Colombia

Producer | Wilton Benitez

Farm | Granja Paraiso 92

Process | Thermal Shock

Variety | Gesha

Elevation | 1600 masl