COLOMBIA FINCA MONTEBLANCO TROPICAL NATURAL ANAEROBIC CO-FERMENT

Finca Monteblanco is located in Acevedo, within the San Adolfo district, overlooking the Suaza River Valley and bordering the protected Parque Nacional Natural Cueva de los Guácharos. At approximately 1,750 meters above sea level, the farm benefits from cool temperatures, steady sunlight, and a biodiverse environment that supports slow cherry maturation and layered cup development. These conditions are key to achieving both high sugar content and clarity in the final profile.

Innovation meets tradition at Finca Monteblanco, where producer Rodrigo Sánchez Valencia continues a family legacy while pushing the boundaries of coffee processing. With a deep curiosity for fermentation and its potential, Rodrigo has become celebrated for developing expressive, fruit-driven profiles that remain grounded in the integrity of the coffee itself. 

Working alongside his team at Aromas del Sur, every step, from germination to export, is carefully managed to ensure consistency, traceability, and quality. This co-ferment is a reflection of that philosophy. It’s a coffee designed not to mask the bean, but to unlock its full sensory potential.

This lesser-seen mutation of Caturra is prized at Finca Monteblanco for its adaptability and naturally high Brix levels. Its elevated sugar content makes it particularly well-suited for experimental fermentation, providing an ideal substrate for microbial activity while retaining structure, balance, and a distinctly coffee-forward foundation.

This lot showcases a highly controlled, multi-stage co-fermentation process developed through years of experimentation.

The process begins with the isolation and cultivation of specific microorganisms, primarily Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These are grown separately and then combined into a “mother culture,” which is progressively enriched with tropical fruits - pineapple, cholupa, gulupa, and passion fruit (cholupa and gulupa are different varieties of passion fruit native to Colombia)- as well as natural sugars such as molasses and cane sugar. Over approximately 8 days (190 hours), this culture ferments and develops, building complexity while reaching carefully monitored pH and Brix levels.

Once the culture is ready, freshly harvested cherries are sorted, floated to remove defects. The coffee is then transferred into sealed fermentation tanks, where the prepared fruit culture is added directly to the coffee mass.

 A second fermentation follows, lasting roughly 150 hours, during which strict controls are maintained. The team ensures Brix levels remain stable and acidity does not become excessive, preserving balance while encouraging expressive fruit development.

The intention throughout is precision—not intensity for its own sake. By carefully managing microbial activity and nutrient inputs, the process integrates tropical fruit characteristics without overwhelming the inherent profile of the coffee.

After fermentation, the coffee is dried slowly using a combination of parabolic dryers and raised beds, stabilizing the seed and preserving the nuanced aromatics developed during fermentation.

Finca Monteblanco has its co-ferment process dialed in specifically for each coffee and flavor profile they work with. The anaerobic natural processing in addition to the co-fermentation gives this coffee a juicy mouthfeel, letting its inherent sweetness shine even more in the cup.