CONTINENT: South America
COUNTRY: Colombia    
REGION: Tolima    
VARIETAL: Yellow Bourbon
FARM: Finca Experimental
FARMER: Erika Yagura
PRODUCER: Jorge Rojas
PROCESS: Anaerobic Washed
ALTITUDE: 1900 masl

Erika Yaguara is both a teacher and a coffee producer, balancing her time between the classroom and her farm, Finca Experimental. While she educates children during the day, she dedicates her afternoons to improving coffee production through systematic trials and process refinements. Her farm is a testing ground for different coffee varieties, fermentation techniques, and drying methods.

Her partner, Jorge Rojas, has worked in coffee since he was 12, taking over responsibilities after his father’s passing. Despite completing only third grade, he developed expertise in specialty coffee, becoming a key member of ASOPEP Planadas, an association focused on organic and ecological farming. He has also earned organic BIO certification while consistently refining his processing techniques to maximize quality. .

For this particular lot, we decided with Jorge to do a medium-intensity fermented washed process. Harvesting yellow-ripening varieties presents challenges, as ripeness is harder to judge. After handpicking, the cherries undergo flotation to remove underripe and defective fruit before being placed in blue tanks for a 36-hour fermentation. Once pulped, the beans, still covered in mucilage, return to the tanks for an additional 36-hour fermentation. The final step is a quick wash to prevent excessive water use while maintaining clarity in the cup.

While many producers experiment with inoculation or infusion under the term “anaerobic,” Jorge strictly avoids foreign agents. His approach relies solely on the coffee’s natural microorganisms, ensuring a clean, terroir-driven flavor. The result is a floral, mango-forward washed coffee with a crisp finish.