PRODUCER: WILTON BENITEZ
FARM: FINCA PARAISO 92
COUNTRY: COLOMBIA
REGION: PIENDAMO
VARIETY: GESHA
IMPORTER: MICAFE
PROCESSING METHOD: DOUBLE ANAEROBIC, THERMAL SHOCK
FLAVOUR DESCRIPTION: INTENSE JASMINE FLORALS, MANGO JUICE, BLACKBERRY JAM, STRAWBERRY, ROSE, SAGE
ABOUT GESHA
Gesha (or Geisha) is often regarded as the most highly sought after variety in coffee. The original lineage traces back to seeds collected in rural Ethiopia in the 1930s - it's commonly referred to as Gesha, sharing a name with a nearby mountain where it was first discovered.
When logged, it was noted that Gesha was moderately resistant to leaf rust, and as such, a number of saplings were first planted in Panama during the 1960s. But various impracticalities of the variety made it initially undesirable - a low planting density, brittle branches and low yield made it a poor choice for many farmers.
It wasn't until the 2005 Panama auction that this variety found itself in the spotlight of international regard, where the Peterson family entered their Gesha into the competition. Not only did it achieve extremely high scores, but its' distinct florality and high acidity attracted a number of high bids from auction attendees, breaking the standing auction green coffee price record.
Since the quality potential of Gesha was revealed to the world, it has found itself as a staple on the offer lists of the world's greatest roasteries.
ABOUT THIS COFFEE
For more than a decade, Wilton Benitez has been cultivating highly acclaimed varieties at an exceptional level. He owns and operates three farms in Piendamo, Colombia. This particular Gesha hails from his farm Granja Paraiso 92, the smallest of the three farms.
"..Using highly innovative cultivation systems such as terraces, drip irrigation, shady and nutrition calculations in laboratory all aimed at producing a unique coffee that can be verified through the multiple awards obtained.
Finca Paraiso-92 also has its own microbiology laboratory, quality laboratory and processing plant. The processes applied to the different coffees start from a strict selection, sterilization and characterization of the cherry to later start with the first phase of controlled anaerobic fermentation, adding a specific microorganism for each process, then the coffee is pulped and subjected to a second fermentation phase, when the second phase ends, a bean sealing process is carried out through impacts of hot and cold water to improve the organoleptic conditions of the coffee."
- Granja Paraiso 92
"Wilton started to learn the fermentation technology used in various
industries including wine, beer and cheese. Once he had an
understanding of how these products were processed, he started
controlling certain variables in the processing of coffee, including the
sugar content, PH level and fermentation duration.
There are three main factors that provide his coffee with a unique and
exquisite taste: the fermentation process, the microorganisms used at
each stage, and the method of soaking the beans in hot and then cold
water to seal the grain.
Wilton's special process for this follows 12 steps.
PROCESS:
1. Manual harvest, selecting only the ripest red cherries.
2. Characterisation of the cherry.
3. Classification of the cherry by density and size.
4. Sterilisation of the cherry (with UV and Ozone).
5. First phase of cherry fermentation for 52 hours in bioreactors with a relief valve at a temperature of 18oC.
6. During cherry fermentation, addition of specific yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus).
7. Cherry pulping.
8. During cherry fermentation the mucilage is recovered. This is then added in to the second phase of fermentation after pulping.
9. Second phase of fermentation in mucilage for 48 hours at 21C
10. Fermentation for 68 hours.
11. Washing of the coffee with a thermal shock process (in order to fix the secondary aromas developed during the different fermentation phases), first: water at 40C and second: water at 12C.
12. Drying of the coffee with controlled equipment for 48 hours at 38C."
- Micafe
