About
Coffee Expression Wild florals and stewed berries.
Producer Our third time purchasing coffee from Heyler Guerra, and his farm in the Tolima region.
100g - Whole Bean Coffee / Both for filter and espresso
Brewing Advise
Water is one of the most critical components of an excellent coffee experience. We recommend using mineral water of a soft Total Dissolved Solids count, ideally below 150 ppm.
Rested coffee During the resting process, harsh and astringent flavors, which can even be perceived as a ‘roast’ character, soften out, allowing a clearer and brighter expression of the coffee’s character to shine.
We recommend resting our coffees for at least 10 days after the roast date, and we often find excellent results, especially for particularly dense coffees, beyond 6 weeks.
Brewing Our straightforward approach to coffee carries over into brewing. We recommend our roasted coffee for all brew methods, regardless of whether it is immersion, percolation or espresso. We believe that there is one correct way to roast a single coffee, roasting lightly, in such a way as to release its innate qualities and showcase its quality. Learn more about different brewing techniques and specific brew guides here.
Technical Data
Producer Heyler Guerra
Region Tolima
Altitude 1550 masl
Varietal Geisha
Process Natural
Harvest October 2023
Shipping & Delivery
· Free shipping available
· Ships within 1-3 days from Denmark
· Coffee is roasted to order
Heyler’s trademark long fermentation unveils a deep and rich fruit character, while maintaining the floral and complex character of his Geisha.
This is the third time we have worked with Heyler Guerra and his project Russilandia, just outside Villarrica, in the Tolima region. This relationship has again been facilitated by our friends at the LaREB collective, our long term collaborators in Colombia. Heyler has been working with LaREB since 2019, having initially met after some of his lots were rejected by a large exporter due to their ferment character.
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A novel approach
Heyler has owned Finca Russilandia for many years, having purchased it from the original owner, a descendant of Italian immigrants with the surname Russi, hence the name of the farm. The farm is located at 1550 masl in the Southern Tolima region, not far from the border with Cundinamarca, and only a 5 hour drive from Bogotá.
This lower altitude means a greater risk of pests, and good conditions for the fungi that cause leaf rust, so Heyler mainly grows the resistant Castillo varietal, a newer robusta hybrid than Variedad Colombia, released by the Colombian coffee research institute CENICAFE in 2005.
Previously, he worked as a salesman for high quality saddles in the equestrian market, so has a good idea of what it takes to create and market a differentiated product. This led him to his style of fermentation, with a wild fruit character and a degree of umami brought on by long drying times and pre-fermentations. However, this style of fermentation was not for everyone, so his lots were often rejected by larger exporters.
Controlled processing
This lot is the first export from Heyler’s plot of Geisha. These very young trees have only just started to yield enough to process effectively, but have been showing incredible potential. This first exportable harvest is the realisation of that potential. Heyler has maintained his trademark processing on this lot, elevating the wild fruit character, but maintaining the florality and complexity of the varietal.
Cherries are sealed in plastic tanks and fermented without oxygen for 72 hours, slowing the fermentation, especially the production of acetic acid, meaning that the pH isn’t lowered so quickly. This fermentation also breaks down much of the mucilage. Heyler then adds water to the tanks to further slow the fermentation, sometimes waiting up to 24 hours for dry, hot conditions for an optimal initial drying phase.
This additional water equalises the moisture content, and penetrates the cherry, almost ‘washing’ the mucilage from the inside. This means that much of the sugar is already removed before drying, leading to a very controlled fermentation with no acetic taints in the cup. The cherries are then moved to raised beds to dry for 14 days.
This unveils a deep and rich fruit character, while maintaining the floral and complex character of the Geisha varietal. Here, we are reminded of soft blueberry, ripe peach, magnolia and orange blossom.
Rituals subscription
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2 x 250g (8.8oz) & 100g (3.53oz):
DKK 339,00 ($48.70 / €45.50)
With free shipping*
Russilandia
This year we've bought to different lots from Heyler Guerra and his farm Finca Russilandia. Also available now is a Castillo lot which was processed using a very controlled natural method. A long fermentation unveils a deep and rich character, with notes of tropical fruit, while being kept fresh by an unusual plum wine acidity.
