Costa Rican single-origin SL28 from Volcan Azul farm in Alajuela's West & Central Valley, grown at 1550-1650 meters elevation. Farmer Alejo Castro cultivated this varietal from Kenyan seeds. The coffee underwent 5 days of tank fermentation at 22°C to a brix level of 14, followed by 5 days patio drying and approximately 10 hours mechanical drying to 11.6% moisture. The warm anaerobic natural processing produces light funk, red berries, dry plum, and subtle sweetness with notes of fruit, florality, spice, and chocolate nuttiness.
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.
