Colombia Wilton Benitez Fermentation Trio WOW

Colombia Wilton Benitez Fermentation Trio is a special release by our Karvan Coffee roasting team who are always on the hunt to find, roast and release exceptional coffee. This coffee is small batch and once it is gone… it is gone!  We are roasting these Microlot green beans to be enjoyed for filter brewing and why not go ahead, and treat yourself with this  end of year trio.

This coffee comes from the region of Cauca in the south of Colombia. Cauca is relatively flat when looking at other Colombian growing regions, which means the coffee produced benefits from more consistent conditions. Wilton’s exotic varietals are harvested at Granja Paraiso 92 & Finca La Macarena which are neighbouring farms.

Generally the team picks cherries with 95% ripeness. Wilton, himself then takes the cherries to his processing facility which is located at the highest point of the property with an incredible view of the Colombian massif. Here, the coffees are fermented, depulped, washed and dried in his state of the art facility. He also packs his coffee on site.

Wilton Bennet is a well known for his experimental and high quality coffee throughout the coffee world and here in Perth, Western Australia. We have the opportunity to showcase 3 different coffees from his farm, where he fermented each cherry differently to showcase the influence of the processing methods on the characteristics and taste notes. We are releasing this Colombian Wilton Benitez trio to give your palette an end of year celebration. Let’s meet our trio

Varietal: Tabi | Processing Method: Washed | Fermentation: 36 hours with a yeast addition

Varietal: Colombia | Processing Method: Washed, Thermo Shock | Fermentation: Double Anaerobic with the second fermentation introducing yeast for a total duration of  72 hours.

Varietal: Caturra | Processing Method: Washed, Thermo Shock | Fermentation: Double Anaerobic with the second fermentation introducing yeast for a total duration of  72 hours.

Benitez’s first trials of the thermo Shock method were really all about playing with temperature in particular.

During his first trials, Benitez fermented whole cherries without oxygen (anaerobic fermentation) often twice over before washing the pulped beans in warm water, and then cold water directly afterwards. This is where the process gets its name from! By washing the beans in warm then cold water (playing with thermal temperature), Benitez is shocking the beans into sealing in acquired flavours developed during the double anaerobic fermentation process.

1. The ripest coffee cherries are selected according to a strict criteria, characterised, and sterilised.
2. As whole cherries, the batch undergoes its first round of anaerobic fermentation. During this period, the producer will also introduce a special yeast microorganism that positively influences each cherries’ flavour compounds.
3. After the first fermentation, coffee is pulped and subjected to its second fermentation. The sugars from the mucilage (pectin layers) of the coffee cherry are given further time to absorb into the coffee bean.
4. Now comes the ‘bean sealing’ phase. Post-fermentation, this is the step where thermoshocking actually occurs. Benitez takes the beans and washes them in hot water, then cold water.
5. Once washed, the beans are laid out in a controlled environment (greenhouse or drying beds) to dry until the beans achieve the desired moisture content.