Story
Tolima Region
Colombia is filled with diverse landscapes, from rainforests to mountaintops, two coastlines, and much more. Apart from that it boasts 11 different altitudes, each containing a unique flavour palate that is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.
Tolima region is located in central-west Colombia. The word ‘Tolima’ comes from the local indigenous language and means a “river of snow or cloud”. The region sits on the Cordillera Central, in the middle of the three mountain ranges that provide a range of microclimates well-suited to high quality coffee production.
Coffee is the leading agricultural activity in the region, followed by beans and cattle. Local soils are some of the most nutrient-rich for planting coffee trees, offering some exotic flavours which are quite unique to the region.
Tolima's farmers have made the switch from primarily working large yield crops to dealing with micro lots that require more care and dedication. This led to more focus on nurturing the coffee and emphasising quality over quantity. The extra care is evident as we are allowed to taste some incredible coffees in recent years.
Bayter Family & El Vergel
Back in 1995, the Bayter Family rolled up their sleeves and dove headfirst into the agricultural scene at El Vergel farm. Avocado was their main squeeze, but when avocado prices took a nosedive in 2006, they knew it was time to shake things up.
Martha and her two sons, Elias & Shady started to work with experimental coffee in a way that they could create and pass through the technology that would help to improve the quality of life of the families that work together with them in their project.
Fast forward to 2016, and with a little guidance from coffee guru Miguel Jimenez, they planted specialty coffee varieties, setting the stage for some serious coffee greatness. Then, in a stroke of genius, they embraced natural coffee processes in 2018, tinkering with fermentation control like mad scientists in a lab.
Koji Processing
Elias and Shady dove into the world of experimental coffee, not just for the love of a good brew, but with a mission to sprinkle a bit of magic into the lives of the hardworking families on their El Vergel State project.
Armed with curiosity, they collaborated with Kaapo Paavolainen to conjure up a fermentation technique using Aspergillus Oryzae, a fungus renowned for its ability to enhance flavour profiles.
This fungus is carefully cultivated alongside steamed rice, dried, and subsequently ground to create an integral component for the coffee beans. Following this, the beans undergo anoxic fermentation, distinguished by a distinctive white layer.
Once the fermentation is done, the beans proceed to drying tables for 15 to 25 days depending on actual weather. The beans are then carefully stored in grainpro bags to ensure stability and optimal preservation.