La Terraza Anaerobic Washed SL28

1/3

$14.00

This low-intervention washed coffee comes from a producer pair we are in awe of. Juliana Guevara and Wbeimar Lasso run Terra Coffee, a processing group well known in Colombia coffee for sharing their wealth of knowledge in coffee processing techniques as well as providing consultation and cupping services. Part of their contribution to specialty coffee education is growing rarer varietals at their coffee farm. La Terraza exists in a special microclimate that allows them to harvest year round. Wbeimar is a cup taster champion, agro-industrial engineer, and famous for multi-fermentation stage coffees. This is much more tame processing to the normal approach we often see from Juliana and Wbeimar. It has low intervention, meaning there is minimal in-cherry time and a smaller closed tank fermentation window (40-56 hours) for Colombia coffee.

This lot is exciting to us because of the varietal. Traditionally found in Kenya, only recently have has Central and South American regions seen the fruits of their labor thrive in character. It is such a cool take on the standard profile of typical Nyeri, Kenya lots. Like the Kenya coffee, we get plenty purple fruit acidity, brown sugar sweetness and a savory quality in the body that reminds us of squash. Unlike Kenyan SL lots, this profile features terroir qualities more consistent with other low intervention anaerobic coffees in Colombia, like pluot and white nectarine body, a much louder aroma that reminds us of jasmine, and a finish like steeped rose petals. This coffee is somehow velvety and chewy all at the same time.

We roasted last batch on 6/6. So, all orders will go out with that roast date.

Juliana and Wbeimar are staple names in specialty coffee now. They are renowned for their transparency in practice and process as well are their contributions to specialty coffee education.

La Terraza is a few hectare estate that sits at 1850 MASL in southern Huila. It exists in a microclimate that can support coffee harvest year round! At La Terraza, they grow small yield plots of Gesha, Pink Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Sidra, Pacamara, and SL28. Because of the colder microclimate, they do experience frigid nights and a cooler climate. This has unique impact on their crop and processing, including cherry mutations, fermentation and drying while in parchment -- an interesting and unique challenge to their estate and much of southern Huila farms.

Juliana and Wbeimar grow many interesting cultivar on La Terraza. SL-28 makes up just a small plot of the few hectares of La Terraza. While SL-28 has supported much of Kenya's coffee market since the 1920s, it has hardly been a trustworthy varietal to grow in South America. It's semi-durable to climate and high-yield but not very resilient to pests and disease. It is really exciting to get so much character from this lot that seems to blend what we love about its origin with where it is grown. The SL class has similar history to JARC seeds in Ethiopia. They were recognized by the colonial-era organization, Scott Agricultural Laboratories, that bred them but are inherently Kenyan rooted in, origin and history.

This coffee process is fairly standard. Coffee is depulped and then fermented for 40-56 hours in concrete tanks. After fermentation, coffee is washed clean of parchment and sundried on patios for 16-24 days.

We do not have any exciting reasons for buying this particular lot. We missed out on the Unblended one we wanted (LOL). And, after getting invested in their story and contribution to the industry, we were overjoyed to see Royal list two of their past harvest crop on their Crown Jewel list. We blind bought it on a whim because we liked what we had previously tried and wanted to feature their coffee. As Kenya lovers, any coffee that shows classic Kenya SL character is incredibly exciting to us, especially if we can avoid the Kenya public trading market infrastructure and culture...

Green cost: $25.96/kg
Package and roasting costs: $2.91/bag; $10/kg
Profile and sample use: ~1kg
Approx. Margin: ---%

Resting: Wait 25 days for peak experience (degas the night before by opening bag for about an hour). We're impatient and think this has tasted high clarity as early as 22 days after roast too.

We've primarily enjoyed this offering as a pourover.

Temperature range: 198-201°F
Water: Tap/Demineralized and Third Wave Water Light Roast
Grind Settings: Finer Coarse (500-650µm)
Target Drawdown Time: 2:30-2:45 (12g dose)

4 Pour Recipe:
1. Pour 1/4 water every 30 seconds with medium-low agitation. Swirl the dripper on the bloom.

2 Pour Recipe:
1. Grind several clicks lower than your standard grind. Bloom 1/4 water for 1 minute. Swirl the dripper while waiting for drain.
2. Pour the remaining 3/4 of water; starting with a swirling and high flow rate and moving to a low agitation center pour for the last 1/4.

Drops are typically prepared in two formats: a standard 100g / 200g bag offering at your preferred roast level or as a roast experiment.

Standard bag lets you support the producer, exporter, and the project without having to buy and drink coffee you're less interested in. You still get to observe and critique our roast methods at your preferred lightness but in larger quantities.
Roast experiment lets you participate in 3 blind tastings of 60g bags to evaluate 3 different roast curves. After the drops have been released, profile info and our own sensory feedback will be shared alongside any collected feedback from tasters.

Note that roast level selection does not apply to experiments sent out.

We work as quickly as possible to roast and ship your coffee within a week of your order placement. Times vary on roaster rental availability and our limited roasting schedule. We typically roast on two subsequent days twice a month. Once your order has shipped, you will receive an email with further information. Delivery times vary on location.

Because we are selling an agricultural product with limited shelf life, we do not accept returns. However, our goal is for every customer to be absolutely satisfied with their purchase. If you aren't enjoying the experience, let us know in an Instagram DM and we'll do our best to work with you to make it right!

La Terraza Anaerobic Washed SL28

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