Brayan Alvear - Fruity Flowers

MEET THE PRODUCER | Brayan Alvear is a talented young coffee producer from Colombia—in fact, he might just be the youngest producer to headline our single origin menu. Brayan was born and raised in the rural town of Acevedo, where his dad began teaching him about coffee when he turned 13. At 20 years old, 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 life as a brand new parent! Both his personal and professional stories are a testament to his own tenacity and determination, and his recent achievements in co-fermentation only add to the legacy he’s building. 

TRUST THE PROCESS | This coffee is a blend of two coffees from Brayan’s careful hands: 

50% Brayan Alvear - Rocket Flower

50% Brayan Alvear - Watermelon

In both cases, whole coffee cherries are co-fermented with ground, dehydrated fruit: citrus fruits, in the case of Rocket Flower, and (at the risk of stating the obvious) watermelon, in the case of the latter. After fermentation, the coffee is dried in mechanical dryers for 10 days, until optimal moisture content is achieved.

TAKE A SIP | This coffee is supremely fresh, floral, and vibrant. In fact, it’s downright spring-like. This may seem like an odd choice for the cozy holiday season, but we feel it offers some welcome flavor diversity to our menu during these chillier days. The fruit flavors here are bright and playful, like chewing a stick of watermelon bubble gum.  Aromatic like white flowers and vibrant like complex citrus, sipping this coffee reminds us that warmer days and new beginnings lie ahead.

Origin | Huila, Colombia

Producer | Brayan Alvear

Process | Co-ferment

Variety | Caturra, Castillo

Elevation | 1500–1700 MASL

Produced by Brayan Alvear in the Huila region of Colombia, this lot represents a modern approach to specialty coffee production. As a co-fermented coffee, it highlights the increasing experimentation within the industry to manipulate flavor profiles during the post-harvest stage. While traditional processing relies on standard fermentation, co-fermentation often involves the addition of yeasts or fruits to the tank to influence the final cup. You can learn more about these evolving processing methods to understand how they impact the final sensory experience.

Roasted by Black & White Coffee Roasters, this selection features distinct notes of white flowers, citrus, and watermelon bubble gum. These descriptors can be mapped against the flavor wheel to better identify the specific aromatic compounds present. Grown at 1500-1700 masl, this coffee showcases the potential for unique, expressive profiles emerging from the diverse microclimates found throughout the Huila department.