Gabriel Castano - Pink Bourbon
MEET THE PRODUCER | In the early 90's, not long after Colombia opened its doors to international trade, many Colombian coffee farmers struggled to keep their farms and families afloat as they found themselves at the mercy of coffee's commodity index on the NY Stock Exchange. Gabriel Castaño is one of many such farmers who lived through those unstable times, and like many in his industry, he shifted his efforts to coca production for several years as a means of survival. In the mid-aughts, Gabriel was finally able to return to coffee production and became a picker on one of his sons-in-law's farms. It was there that he discovered a coffee cherry whose color he "really liked" and which seemed to be resistant to leaf rust, very unlike the Caturra trees which he had historically cultivated. He swiftly purchased some seed from his son-in-law and began planting this mystery crop on his own farm - and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Gabriel is hailed as the "godfather of Pink Bourbon" in Huila, and he generously shares both his seed and his expertise with many of his peers in the region, as well as his five living children - all of whom have staked their claim in the family business.
TRUST THE PROCESS | Gabriel is known for processing his beloved Pink Bourbon lots as anaerobic washed coffees, but he took a gamble on this smaller lot and processed it as a natural. Hand-selected for ripeness by local pickers and family members alike, these coffee cherries were first weighed and de-pulped before undergoing 90-120 hours of fermentation in Grainpro bags. Finally, they were rinsed and dried for 8 days, 7 of which were spent in mechanical dryers.
TAKE A SIP | This lot is a testament to producers like Gabriel Castaño who are committed to a singular coffee variety and to high-quality processing of those coffees. Now, we love a good Pink Bourbon around here, but if you didn't know it, you might actually mistake this one for a Gesha! It's delightfully floral, vibrantly acidic, and unapologetically sweet. This coffee is very tropical, with notes of mangoes and pineapple, and there's also a wine-y characteristic to it that reminds us of red sangria - something we like to enjoy all summer long, in all of its forms.
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Origin | Acevedo, Huila, Colombia
Producer | Gabriel Castaño Buendía
Farm | La Granada
Process | Natural
Variety | Pink Bourbon
Elevation | 1700 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
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Please place your order the day before the roast day you would like your order shipped on.