Coffee Spotlight: Pink Borbon Cake

Sep 12

In today’s blog we’re talking about our newest Co-Ferment Blend! It’s called Pink Borbon Cake, and it’s the kind of coffee that reminds you can have your cake and eat it too. Or drink it…

The Pink Borbon varietal is prized by specialty coffee lovers— to try it as a co-ferment from a high-quality farm in Colombia is a dream!

This coffee comes from the mountains of southern Huila, Colombia. In Huila, the municipality of San Agustín is home to a thriving community of coffee producers. These producers are growing some of the region’s most exceptional beans. Located 1,750 meters above sea level, this area is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its rich archaeological legacy, in addition to having ideal coffee-growing conditions.

Among the highly sought after coffee varietals form here are Pink Borbon, Caturra, Colombia, and Castillo. These coffee producers are mastering innovative coffee growing and processing techniques—elevating the flavor profiles and quality of their coffees. The results are unique coffees like our Pink Borbon Cake.

In order to create this co-ferment, the Pink Borbon coffee cherries first undergo a 48-hour pre-fermentation in sealed plastic bags, allowing them to develop a distinct depth of flavor. After this, the cherries are depulped, and the beans, still covered in mucilage, are inoculated with dried, ground banana: this innovate step creates a creamy texture with subtle banana undertones, lending the final coffee a banana cake like flavor profile. After the addition of ground banana, the coffee beans are fermented in the mixture for five days to enhance complexity. Following fermentation, the beans are pre-dried on open patios under the sun and then mechanically dried in static silos for consistency. A 30-day stabilization period concludes the process, allowing the flavors to become balanced and result in a well-rounded cup.