Freak & Unique VIII | Colombia | Diego Bermudez, El Paraiso

Put on the Marimonda mask to travel to a world of nectarines drenched in waterfalls of honey - for this is the land sprinkled with watermelon Nerds and orange blossom sunsets.

Our very limited series, Freak & Unique continues with this B-40 thermal shock delight from Colombia. This coffee is available with or without an unframed risograph print by Emma Gallacher (numbered edition of 10).

FARM : Diego Samuel Bermudez, Finca El Paraiso

REGION : El Tambo, Cauca

ALTITUDE : 1700 MASL

VARIETAL : Pink Bourbon

PROCESS : B-40 Thermal Shock, Anaerobic Fermentation

As part of a tight knit family Diego Samuel works on their farm in Cauca with his wife, two daughters and two brothers. The family built their own lab on the farm to curate their own fermentation protocols - their experiments and novel approach to coffee have allowed to them to exceed. They’ve won several awards from 2015 onwards for the production of high-end specialty coffee that is almost unparalleled in the unique flavour and profiles produced. The Villa Esperanza - Paraiso farm in El Tambo, Cauca covers 27 ha of land and this lot we’ve selected for Freak & Unique VIII is a B-40 Pink Bourbon.

95% of the cherries are picked ripe, and the other 5% are on-ripe. The cherries are floated with water that has a high content of ozone in order to lower the microbe quantity, with a 48 hour oxidation of the cherry. Cherries are then depulped and the anaerobic fermentation phase is started. At this point yeast from pineapple isolated extracts is added. Thermal shock occurs while washing the coffee, where secondary aromas are fixed in the coffee. Lastly, there is controlled drying for 34 hours – with a system constantly recirculating air at 35c and a humidity of 25%. This is done until the humidity of the coffee bean is between 10-11%. Parchment is packed in GrainPro bags for 3 days in order to be stabilized.

Produced by Diego Samuel Bermudez at El Paraiso in El Tambo, Cauca, the Freak & Unique VIII showcases the precision of modern processing in Colombia. This lot features the Pink Bourbon varietal, which is often celebrated for its complex sweetness and vibrant acidity. The coffee undergoes a sophisticated B-40 Thermal Shock and anaerobic fermentation, a technique that highlights the producer's commitment to controlled experimentation. Generally, processing methods involving thermal shock are designed to intensify specific aromatic compounds, often resulting in the distinct fruit-forward profiles—such as nectarines, honey, and watermelon—noted by Hundred House Coffee. When evaluating such expressive cups, referencing the flavor wheel can help identify the nuanced floral and candy-like notes present in this harvest. For those exploring the diverse landscape of Colombia · El Tambo, Cauca, this selection represents a unique intersection of high-altitude cultivation and innovative post-harvest science.