BQ - FINCA LA JOSEFINA - MEJORADO, ANAEROBIC HONEY - ECUADOR

HELM
INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES

BQ - FINCA LA JOSEFINA - MEJORADO, ANAEROBIC HONEY

HIBISCUS
CHERRY BLOSSOM
BLOOD ORANGE
TAMARIND

ORIGIN: CAYAMBE-COCA NATURAL RESERVE, ECUADOR
FARM: FINCA LA JOSEFINA
PRODUCER: LEOPOLDO ANDRADE & LIGIA MERIZALDE
ALTITUDE: 1800 MASL
VARIETY: TYPICA MEJORADO
PROCESS: ANAEROBIC HONEY

ROAST DATE: JUNE 16, 2026

FROM THE ROASTER

WE REACHED OUT TO LEOPOLDO IN THE WINTER ABOUT COFFEE AND HE GRACIOUSLY SHARED SOME BEAUTIFUL EXPRESSIONS OF TYPICA MEJORADO, GESHA, AND SIDRA. WE EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO MEET UP AT WOC SAN DIEGO AND DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER AND HOW WE COULD BRING HIS COFFEE ONTO OUR MENU!

FAST FORWARD AND IN ADDITION TO AGAIN SHARING SOME EXTREMELY INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS HE'S BEEN WORKING ON, LEOPOLDO HAD TWO BEAUTIFUL HONEY LOTS TO CHOOSE FROM! BRIAN AND I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK AND RELEASE SOMETHING FUN TOGETHER. THIS WAS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY AS WE ALL AGREED IN THE SAME PLACE THAT WE WOULD RELEASE ONE OF HIS COFFEES AS A COLLABORATION LOT.

FROM LEOPOLDO HIMSELF, "THIS COFFEES, UNDERGOES AN ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION PROCESS. FIRST, IT IS FERMENTED IN CHERRY FOR 72 HOURS, THEN DEPULPED AND SUBJECTED TO A SECOND FERMENTATION. FINALLY, IT UNDERGOES 12 HOURS OF OXIDATION AND IS DRIED ON AFRICAN BEDS FOR 15 TO 18 DAYS."

WHAT RESULTS IS A COFFEE THAT CLEARLY SHOWCASES THE SWEETNESS AND BEAUTY OF MEJORADO, JUST AMPLIFIED BY THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL DURING PROCESSING AND THE WHOLE CHERRY AND LIGHT MUCILAGE LAYER LEFT ON DURING DEPULPING.

ROASTING THIS ON THE STRONGHOLD S9X WITH AN INCREASING HEAT APPLICATION THROUGH TURNING POINT, THE COFFEE DIDN'T WANT TO BE HIT HARD UP FRONT AND MADE ITS WAY THROUGH DRYING QUICKLY. INCREMENTALLY CUTTING HEAT EARLY AND LETTING IT ROLL INTO FIRST CRACK ALONGSIDE FAN MANAGEMENT AND A SHORT DEVELOPMENT TIME HELPS TO BALANCE FLORALITY AND ACIDITY ALONGSIDE THE MORE COMPLEX SWEETNESS YOU WILL FIND IN THE CUP.