Elkin Guzman - Hydro Honey
MEET THE PRODUCER | Elkin Guzman comes from a storied history of coffee farming, processing, and selling - his family has been in the business for over 70 years, the latter twelve of which have been largely dedicated to pioneering and perfecting post-harvest processing techniques. For his part, Elkin has championed these efforts, combining different approaches to fermentation and drying techniques which complement the inherent characteristics of each individual lot from their farm in the small village of El Portal, Colombia.
TRUST THE PROCESS | Processing procedures at Elkin's farm, El Mirador, are highly standardized and carefully executed. After being measured for optimal sugar content in degrees Brix, each lot is carefully separated by both volume and density. It is only after these steps take place that Elkin and his team decide which processing method the lot will undergo - in the case of this one, Elkin's own Natural Hydro Honey process. You can think of this method as a hybrid of two traditional processing techniques: first, the lot is processed as a traditional natural coffee. After drying, the cherries are then re-hydrated and processed all over again using traditional honey processing techniques.
TAKE A SIP | If we're choosing our fighter, the natural processing came out on top in terms of overall flavor profile. This coffee has big red fruit flavors, like black cherry, and a distinct cocoa nib note, both of which are common in naturally processed coffees. It's also wine-y in character - another nod to its first round of processing. However, this coffee also maintains a really vibrant acidity that is sometimes lost in natural processing, giving us a delightful limeade note.
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Origin | El Portal, Huila, Colombia
Producer | Elkin Guzman
Farm | Finca El Mirador
Process | Natural Hydro Honey
Variety | Catiope
Elevation | 1550 - 1750 masl
Brewing Suggestions For Our Coffee At Home
“How should I brew coffee from Black & White?” We get this question a lot, and we love chatting about how folks can get the most out of the coffees we roast. But, since everybody’s gear setup, water sources, and preferences are different, we haven’t found a great way to post definitive brew guides for specific coffees.
We do have some tips that have seemed to help most folks, though…
First, our coffees do great with a bit of rest. In our cafes, we’ve discovered that things really start to shine at or after 14 days post roast. You certainly don’t have to wait so long, but you’ll notice the cup’s clarity increase over time. Clean, washed coffees tend to need less rest than funkier coffees that feature higher-impact fermentation methods (like naturals, anaerobic naturals, or co-ferments).
For espresso, we start all of our coffees at a 1:2 ratio with a brew time around 24 seconds. This recipe usually works great for year round coffees and single origin coffees with lower impact fermentations. Funky coffees often get the longer ratio treatment (sometimes up to 1:3), but your preferences may lead you elsewhere. We celebrate that!
For filter style coffee, we tend to like hotter (at or above 205F), faster (at or under 3 minutes) brews. Our roasting philosophy focuses on maximizing sweetness and solubility in all our coffees, so you’re probably safe applying your favorite recipe.
If you have more questions, feel free to shoot us a DM or email. We’re always here for curiosity. Oh! And don’t forget–if it tastes good, it is good.
Roasting all the coffee in Raleigh, North Carolina
We roast and ship Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
Please place your order the day before the roast day you would like your order shipped on.