Estrellas de Aji - Washed Anaerobic Aji - Huila, Colombia

The Stars of Aji

Producer: Local blend of Aji coffee from 5 local producers: German Ortiz, Ines Persian, Aldemar Quistial, Wilmar Munoz, Edilma Piedrahita
Location: Huila
Variety: Bourbon Aji
Process: Washed Anaerobic
Harvest: 2026
Importer: Shared Source

Contract Price: $8.35 per pound

Primary Process: The washed process is the standard, method of perparing coffee before roasting. It results in high-clarity, delicate flavors. The process
begins with mechanically depulping the coffee cherry, followed by repeated washing with clean water to ensure the complete removal of the fruit mucilage. The coffee is then fermented for a short period of time to remove the parchment layer, and then dried in the a single layer either in the sun or in shade for several days.

Secondary Process: During the fermentation stage, the coffee is placed into sealed bags or barrels with the oxygen pumped out. The lack of oxygen selects for a different array of
microorganisms (yeasts and bacteria) which produce different compounds than if oxygen had been present. This method can be applied to either washed or
natural coffees, which is why we refer to it as a secondary process. This method is relatively new, and leads to an incredible array of delicious coffees that are often heavy
on fruit flavors. Interestingly, this method often tames the wildness of natural coffees, leading to some of the best coffees we've ever tasted.

Origin:  Colombian coffee producers are incredibly innovative. In response to decades devastating coffee rust disease, they developed high quality disesase resistant varietals like Colombia and Castillo. As the specialty coffee industry has evolved, they've been
at the forefront inventing delicious new techniques for fermenting coffee, vastly expanding the range of flavors possible in the cup. Coffee from Colombia can't be easily generalized, but it's particularly famous for malic acidity (think apple & pear), big sweetness, and delicate florals on the aroma.