In The Cup
This coffee is a great example of how Sebastian Ramirez’s innovative processing can take a fairly standard coffee variety and turn it into a coffee that’s bur...
In The Cup
This coffee is a great example of how Sebastian Ramirez’s innovative processing can take a fairly standard coffee variety and turn it into a coffee that’s bursting with flavour! As a super funky coffee, this lot has a high acidity and loads of booziness which reminds us of a refreshing, crisp cider! We’re also getting some purple fruit notes similar to blackberry and black grape along a tropical fruit note like passionfruit.
The Story
Sebastián Ramírez’s El Placer is a standout coffee project rooted in Colombia’s Quindío region, where his legacy as a fourth-generation coffee producer meets bold innovation. El Placer blends tradition and experimentation: Sebastián cultivates a variety of heritage and rare varietals — such as Geisha, Pink Bourbon, Wush Wush, Sidra and SL-28 — across farms in Quindío and Huila.
What distinguishes El Placer is the careful attention to post-harvest processing. Sebastián employs washed, natural and honey processes, but embraces advanced fermentation techniques — notably carbonic maceration and inoculation with native yeasts and lactic bacteria — to coax out distinctive flavour profiles. His facilities, including the “El Placer Farms Hacienda Córcega” processing centre, are equipped to handle micro-lot production under strict quality and sustainability standards.
Beyond his own estates, Sebastián supports smallholder farmers by offering consultancy and buying their cherries under fair terms, helping elevate quality and consistency throughout his supply chain. With El Placer, he is forging a modern, sustainable identity for Colombian speciality coffee — one steeped in heritage yet unafraid to explore the frontiers of flavour.
Technical Stuff
Caturra is a natural mutation of the Bourbon coffee variety, first discovered in Brazil in the 1930s. It is a compact, high-yielding Arabica plant known for its short stature and dense branching, which makes it easier to cultivate and harvest. Caturra thrives at medium to high altitudes, typically between 1,000 and 2,000 meters, and performs best in rich volcanic soils. The cup profile of Caturra is often bright and balanced, with lively acidity, medium body, and sweet citrus or floral notes. Though susceptible to leaf rust, it remains a beloved variety across Latin America for its quality and productivity.
Once cherries are harvested, they are sorted to separate the ripest cherries from the under ripe and over ripe ones. Then they are placed in airtight barrels to allow anaerobic fermentation for 72 hours. After this step they are then placed raised drying beds with retractable roofs where they are left to dry slowly and are aerated and turned regularly.