ONYX - Brayan Alvear Melon Co-Ferment | Colombia - Innoculated - Caturra

Another in a series of wildly fruit-forward coffees out of Colombia. Inoculated fermentations and co-fermentations have exploded in popularity within Colombia, and Brayan Alvear leads the charge with this melon co-ferment. With a distinctive candy-forward sweetness and none of the fermented fruit funk, this is a perfect micro-lot for those who are curious about this new trend in post-harvest processing.

Brayan, a producer from Acevedo, a municipality in Huila, Colombia, specifically in San Adolfo, is a rural coffee growing area and one of the areas that produce the most coffee. His father taught him all the virtues and knowledge that the land gives us, giving us the tools to be able to work in the future, since he was 13 years old his father took him after school to learn all about coffee, which years later made him understand that it was what he was passionate about and wanted to do when he grew up. This year he created a project with more than 60 coffee growers among them his family, who collect and sell their coffee at a better price in cherry, is strong work since they themselves do the collection throughout the municipality. Finally, together with Forest and the Ancla processing station, we process them with fruit fermentation, achieving unique profiles.

Co-Fermentation
This blend of Caturra and Colombia varieties begins with a 48-hour pre-fermentation in plastic bags under anaerobic conditions, allowing complex flavors to form. After depulping, the beans, still in mucilage, are fermented for five days with dried, ground watermelon, which imparts a refreshing sweetness. Fresh watermelon is also added during fermentation. The seeds are then pre-dried on sun-exposed patios, followed by mechanical drying in static silos. A 30-day stabilization period helps the flavors fully develop, delivering a balanced and distinctive profile.