Subtext - Tarqui Pequeños Espresso: Washed, Colombia (250g)

In the highlands of central-eastern Huila lies the municipality of Tarqui. Steep hills, several microclimates and soil types, and a plethora of tiny growers gives us an array of profiles. ASO-Tarqui is a collaborative group, where family members guide each other through new processing regimes. Members of the group have learned to pick ripe cherries, giving cherries as much time as possible to build mucilage and for skins to soften their astringency with sun exposure. Most group members de-pulp coffee, and then ferment without water- some in an open tank, and others in sealed pickle barrels- before washing the coffee. Producers often rub the parchment with their hands to make sure that the fermentation is complete and that no mucilage remains. Drying is low and slow- between 10-15 days to bring moisture levels down.