Colombia: Reimundo Guarnizo

In the highlands of central-eastern Huila lies the municipality of Tarqui. Steep hills, several microclimates, and soil types, and a plethora of tiny growers provide an array of profiles. In the region, there’s a collaborative and familial spirit that means that ideas spread quickly, and there’s a collective sense as family members guide each other through new processing regimes. Family members share tips as many of them lessen their dependence on synthetic chemical inputs, and put more energy into organic farms with healthy and more resistant trees and nutrient-rich soils, showing both yield benefits, as well as reduced on-farm costs.

Reimundo Guarnizo has identified several practices for more consistency; specifically, taking careful note about conditions during coffee processing (and therefore more stable income)- specifically, taking careful note about conditions during coffee processing (pulp and sweetness of cherries, weather conditions, noting the changes in the fermentation process rather than relying solely on a specific number of hours), and monitoring the drying process to make sure that the dryer is properly ventilated to ensure that the parchment doesn’t heat up too much (which can kill the embryo, and make the coffee taste prematurely aged). 

Reimundo picks ripe cherries, and then leaves the cherries in a carefully sealed bag (often finding a new use for Grain Pro) in a cool, shaded area- that’s most often in his ceramic fermentation tanks for 12-24 hours to begin the fermentation process in the cherries. From there, he de-pulps the coffee and leaves it to ferment without water in an open, ceramic-lined tank. Drying is low and slow in a covered and ventilated dryer- for anywhere between 2-3 weeks.  This is another beautiful farm gate coffee.

Cupping Notes: Caramel, hibiscus, toffee, and tangerine notes

Brew Recommendations: Espresso, drip, French press, pour-over

Varietals: 

Region: Huila

Processing Method: Wet process (washed) and patio sun-dried

Equity and Transparency Pricing Levels

Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Sourced from the Huila region, this Colombia: Reimundo Guarnizo selection highlights the distinct profile of coffee produced by Reimundo Guarnizo. Huila is widely recognized as one of the most prominent coffee-growing departments in Colombia, often celebrated for producing balanced, vibrant cups. This specific lot undergoes a washed process, a method typically employed to emphasize the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean.

In the cup, the roaster identifies notes of caramel, hibiscus, toffee, and tangerine. When evaluating such profiles, it is helpful to reference the flavor wheel to better categorize these complex sensory experiences. While washed coffees are generally prized for their clean finish and bright, articulate acidity, the specific interplay of citrus and sugar-browning notes in this offering provides a nuanced look at the current harvest from this producer.