Does this work for espresso or just drip coffee?

It works well for both. The medium-light roast and full body make it suitable for espresso, while the clarity of flavor also shines in filter brewing methods like pour-over or drip.

What does 'washed process' mean?

Washed processing removes the cherry fruit from the bean before drying. This coffee is fermented, depulped, fermented again, rinsed, and then dried on raised beds. The method produces cleaner, brighter flavors compared to natural or honey processes.

How should I store this coffee?

Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Avoid the fridge or freezer, as moisture and temperature swings degrade flavor. Use within a few weeks of opening for the best taste.

Is this a light or dark roast?

It's roasted medium-light, which is lighter than most grocery-store coffee but not as light as some specialty Nordic-style roasts. The roast level preserves the fruit and chocolate notes without bitterness.

Olgar Ortega

The 3-second version

Grown at 1,700 to 1,800 meters in San Agustín, Colombia
Washed process with raised-bed drying over 20 to 25 days
Medium-light roast suitable for both espresso and filter brewing
Medium-light roast only
Limited-lot availability
Not decaffeinated

Why it's on GiftsFeed

Colombian Caturra with plum, raisin, and dark chocolate notes

Most grocery-store Colombian coffee is roasted dark to mask inconsistency, giving you a cup that tastes more like char than fruit. This lot is harvested selectively, processed with precision, and roasted light enough to let the bean's actual flavor come through. The difference matters if you care whether your coffee tastes like plum and raisin or just like coffee. The raised-bed drying and dual fermentation are steps that smallholder farms can afford only when they're selling to buyers who pay for the extra work.

Good gift when

Home brewers who want to taste terroir, not just caffeine
People who drink coffee both as espresso and pour-over
Anyone tired of one-note dark roasts from big brands

Skip it if If you prefer a dark roast or need decaf, this won't fit. It's also a single-origin lot, so once it's gone, the next batch will be a different coffee with different tasting notes.

Specs

Origin: San Agustín, Colombia
Farm: Villa Maria
Variety: Caturra
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1,700 to 1,800 masl
Roast Level: Medium-Light
Tasting Notes: Plum, raisin, dark chocolate
Harvest: August 2025
Roaster: ILSE Coffee, North Canaan, Connecticut
Sizes Available: 250g, 2lb, 5lb

If you're giving it

No sizing to guess

Coffee is perishable; consider the recipient's consumption rate when choosing a size.

The details

This single-origin coffee comes from Villa Maria farm in San Agustín, where the Ortega-Gomez family has cultivated Caturra for more than six decades. Grown at elevations between 1,700 and 1,800 meters, the beans are handled with care from harvest through drying to preserve their inherent character.

Cherries are picked at full ripeness on a three-week cycle, then floated to separate the best fruit. The washed process includes open-tank fermentation before depulping, followed by a second dry fermentation, rinsing, and a 20- to 25-day drying period on raised beds. Each step is designed to develop clean, expressive flavors.

The medium-light roast brings out notes of plum, raisin, and dark chocolate. The body is full enough to satisfy as espresso while maintaining the clarity that makes it work as filter coffee. You get a cup that tastes comforting without being heavy, approachable without being simple.

ILSE Coffee roasts this coffee in North Canaan, Connecticut, sourcing beans from smallholder producers with full traceability. The Ortega-Gomez family is part of Monkaaba, a producer-led collective that provides market access and support to small farms in the region.

Fellow

Olgar Ortega

Single-origin washed coffee from Villa Maria farm in San Agustín

$20at fellowproducts.com

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The 3-second version

Grown at 1,700 to 1,800 meters in San Agustín, Colombia
Washed process with raised-bed drying over 20 to 25 days
Medium-light roast suitable for both espresso and filter brewing
Medium-light roast only
Limited-lot availability
Not decaffeinated

Questions

Does this work for espresso or just drip coffee?: It works well for both. The medium-light roast and full body make it suitable for espresso, while the clarity of flavor also shines in filter brewing methods like pour-over or drip.
What does 'washed process' mean?: Washed processing removes the cherry fruit from the bean before drying. This coffee is fermented, depulped, fermented again, rinsed, and then dried on raised beds. The method produces cleaner, brighter flavors compared to natural or honey processes.
How should I store this coffee?: Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Avoid the fridge or freezer, as moisture and temperature swings degrade flavor. Use within a few weeks of opening for the best taste.
Is this a light or dark roast?: It's roasted medium-light, which is lighter than most grocery-store coffee but not as light as some specialty Nordic-style roasts. The roast level preserves the fruit and chocolate notes without bitterness.