Super fruity, sweet competition coffee for filter methods. Highly complex, multi-layered, strongly fermented.
This batch was harvested on February 1, 2023 by Santa Maria Coffee Estates, located in Paso Ancho, Tierras Altas, at an altitude of 1,750 meters. The processing of this coffee is a variation of our Criolic™ process, which uses leaves (Criolic Folio™) for 96 hours of fermentation. The coffee was dried in the Red Room for 35 days, which gives it a special complexity.
Processing Style: Criolic™
Criolic™ processing is a method of coffee processing that uses low temperatures to slow the breakdown of sugars and other complex proteins in the coffee mucilage. This process begins with freshly picked coffee cherries that are stored at low temperatures with water or other means. During the Criolic™ process, the coffee cherries are exposed to cold temperatures in an oxygen-controlled environment, typically 4 to 10 degrees Celsius. The oxygen-controlled environment can significantly affect the flavor profile of the resulting coffee. The oxygen levels during the processing phase can also significantly affect the flavor profile of the finished coffee. By controlling the oxygen available during fermentation, the bacteria present in the coffee cherries can produce unique flavors and aromas not found in conventionally processed coffee. Once processing is complete, the seeds are placed in a single layer formation no more than 2 cm thick in African raised beds in the Red Room for drying. After that, the seeds are stored on the top level until they reach 18% moisture and then gradually moved to the lower levels to extend the drying time. During the day, they are stirred every 2 hours to ensure even drying and to avoid hot spots during the drying time. Typically, drying takes 20-25 days for the coffee in parchment to reach 11.5% moisture. The coffee beans obtained in this way are known for their unique and complex flavor profile, often with notes of berries, yellow tropical fruits and even floral characteristics. Criolic™ processing can produce a coffee that is sought after by specialty coffee lovers as it offers a unique and distinctive flavor profile not found in coffee processed using traditional methods. The first coffee produced using this method is the legendary Batch #227 from the 2017 harvest from Gesha Estates in Panama, which won the 2017 World Brewers Cup in Budapest. Two years later, a variation of this process using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae yeast was used to win the 2019 World Brewers Cup in Seattle.
Processing Style: Folio
Folio™ is not a standalone processing method like those described above. Rather, it is an additional layer that can be added to various processing methods (e.g. Washed) to add more depth and complexity. We use Folio™ to describe the use of one or more parts of the coffee plant (e.g. leaf, cherry, blossom, etc.) in the process, and it is an indicator of the level of processing specialization that Ninety Plus has been known for since 2014. The first coffee to hit the market with exactly this level of processing was Ninety Plus's famous Yuzo in 2020. The Folio™ versions of our core processes have been used in numerous national championships around the world over the past three years.
