Juan Peña - Oak Barrel Anaerobic

MEET THE PRODUCER | Coffee enthusiasts and barista competitors will likely need no introduction to Juan Peña and his storied farm, Hacienda La Papaya. The farm itself has been in Juan's family since the end of colonial rule in Ecuador, but it was Juan who planted the first coffee trees on the land back in 2010. A few years later, in 2014, a violent storm wiped out his entire rose crop, and it was only then that Juan turned his undivided attention to coffee cultivation and processing. His education as an agricultural engineer, as well as his background in horticulture, have fueled Juan's meticulous and scientific approach to coffee production - earning him both international recognition and several shoutouts from the competition stage.

TRUST THE PROCESS | Freshly harvested cherries are placed in spent rum barrels to ferment for five days in a closed, anaerobic environment. In a previous life, these rum barrels had been used to age Ecuadorean rum for over 20 years, resulting in a diverse and unique microbiota hiding within its staves.  During this fermentation time, the coffee cherries are basically micro-managed, being kept in dark, temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms to to promote the movement of all those microorganisms and also the absorption of the aromas and flavors of the oak barrel in which they are kept. Afterward, the whole cherries spend 28-30 days in drying rooms, until optimal moisture content is achieved.

TAKE A SIP | Around the cupping table, this coffee was hailed as "spectacular and fun!" There's a decent amount of fermentation impact happening here, but it presents more like a natural Ethiopian coffee than some of our funkier friends. It tastes tropical and sweet and moderately fermented, reminding us of tepache or a clean(ish) orange wine. Red grape is a welcome surprise to the flavor notes, and all of that tropical sweetness recalls to mind something like a hard passion fruit candy.

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Origin | Loja, Ecuador

Producer | Juan Peña

Farm | Hacienda La Papaya

Process | Oak Barrel Anaerobic

Variety | Typica Mejorado 

Elevation | 2000 masl

Produced by Juan Peña in the Loja region of Ecuador, this lot showcases the innovative potential of the Typica Mejorado varietal. By utilizing an oak barrel anaerobic processing method, the coffee achieves a distinct profile that pushes the boundaries of traditional fermentation. Black & White Coffee Roasters highlights notes of tepache, orange wine, red grape, and hard passion fruit candy, reflecting the complex, fruit-forward characteristics often associated with experimental anaerobic techniques.

While anaerobic fermentation is frequently used to amplify intensity and acidity, the specific influence of oak barrels can introduce unique structural elements to the cup. When exploring such unconventional profiles, it is helpful to reference the flavor wheel to better categorize the interplay between the inherent qualities of the Typica Mejorado bean and the transformative effects of the barrel-aging process. This coffee serves as a compelling example of how modern processing can redefine the sensory experience of high-altitude Ecuadorian harvests.