Anoxic pre-fermentation

This lot of Castillo is processed using a very controlled natural method, with an anoxic pre-fermentation. The cherries are floated very thoroughly, leaving only the densest cherries in the highest quality lots. The cherries are then sealed in plastic tanks and fermented without oxygen. The lack of access to oxygen slows down the fermentation, especially the production of acetic acid, meaning that the pH isn’t lowered so quickly. This also breaks down the mucilage before the coffee is transferred to raised beds to dry still in-cherry. All of this means that much of the sugar is already broken down in a controlled environment, without introducing acetic taints, before the coffee is dried in a much less controlled environment exposed to the elements. Heyler and the team at LaREB also have a theory that keeping the cherry attached means that enzymes present in the cherry stop the seed from germinating, keeping the seed alive and leading to a cleaner cup. This is the same theory and practice that we would normally refer to as Carbonic Maceration, but Heyler and LaREB call the process ‘anoxic natural’.

This lot, the first Russilandia has exported to Europe through LaREB, was harvested in October 2019, fermented in sealed tanks for 72 hours, before drying slowly on raised beds for 14 days. The character unveiled is deep and rich, with notes of fresh honey melon and pineapple, while being kept fresh by an unusual plum wine acidity. You can see more of Heyler’s work and follow the progress of his crop on his instagram @fincarussilandia.

About La Cabra

A focus on raw material

If we don’t feel that a coffee suits our style or what we like to present, we simply won’t buy it. Sometimes this leads to issues in green buying; we have to pay very close attention, to a level of green quality that will support this approach, and to how this will develop over the life of a coffee. We are required to focus heavily on the freshness of coffee, both green and roasted, to avoid introducing taints into our cups. We always use clean and fresh water, of an ideal mineral content to present the coffee in its best possible light. Once we have the correct roasting profile, water, and coffee age, the act of brewing is much more simple. A wide variance in brewing parameters can still produce delicious and transparent cups. It is also important to note that this is not always the most consistent approach. The coffee is laid completely bare, so any flaw with the raw material is clearly on show. We could often develop some coffees slightly more, to make them more approachable or easy to work with, but wavering from our philosophy like this would compromise our commitment to complete transparency in coffee.