This coffee is from El Paraiso farm in Cauca, Colombia, produced by Diego Bermudez at 1960 meters altitude. The variety is Castillo, processed using a washed method with special fermentation. Cherries are harvested at peak ripeness, disinfected with ozone, and anaerobically fermented in water for 72 hours. After pulping and demucilaging, the pulp and mucilage create a culture medium that is added back with the beans for 36 hours of pressured fermentation. The coffee undergoes thermal shock to seal it and is dried in a dehumidifier. The profile is fruity and chocolate with a prickly texture, featuring sweet fruit aromas with lychee notes.
Brian Zhou runs Thoughtful Coffee as a one person nanoroaster operation in Brooklyn, New York. A software engineer by profession, Zhou financed an Aillio Bullet home roaster and built the business around three core values: transparency in pricing and process, humane relationships over profit maximization, and strict quality control. The focus is on small batch light roasts with floral, fruity, and complex profiles, sourcing unusual and distinctively processed coffees at accessible prices. Zhou documents his roasting process and collects customer feedback openly through a Substack publication, making the entire operation as legible as possible.
