Farm Info

This lot of Caturra Submerged Natural was produced by Sebastian Ramirez, a 4rt generation coffee producer in his family who has been working with coffee for over 14 years. El Placer Farms Project began with Sebastian and today it includes farms of small coffee producers in Quindio and Huila: El Placer, Andalucia, La Sofia, La Carito, and La Paz. These farms lie between heights of 1200 to 2100 masl.

El Placer Farms Hacienda Corcega Beneficio Center is equipped with the latest technology, located in Quimbaya. Sebastian and his team avoid the use of herbicides and cutting weeds every two months as part of a sustainable approach to farming. They prioritize soil health, which results in healthy plants and contributes to great flavour profiles. Sebastian has access to a well-equipped microbiology laboratory, crucial for the El Placer team in developing innovative and exotic coffees.

Most of the coffee Sebastian produces is processed naturally or via honey and undergoes carbonic maceration. He also makes use of yeasts and lactic bacteria cultivated for their fermentations to provide unique cup profiles. In his quest to maximize the flavour potential of every variety, Sebastian is taking a step forward by adding the “musto” from cherries to the coffee during fermentation.

Caturra Submerged Natural Process

The first step of processing is the three-step hand selection:

1. 95% of ripe and 5% of semi-ripe cherries are selected, all by hand.
2. The selection continues with submerging the cherries in water tanks and removing the floaters from the surface.
3. Lastly, the cherries without any visible defects are sorted to guarantee only the best quality ones to undertake the fermentation processes.

For the Caturra Submerged Natural process, the first step is to seal the coffee cherries inside 200L plastic cans for 200 hours at a constant temperature of 18 ° C.

The first 120 hours are anaerobic fermentation in a can and to complete the cycle, the remaining 80 hours are aerobic, submerged in water.

Throughout the fermentation, the PH levels and temperature are carefully monitored. The cherries then go for their first drying stage on raised beds, with drying controlled at 40 degrees C and 25% humidity for about 15 days. The second drying stage on raised beds under canopies is for another 5 days.

Request Sample