Sebastian Ramirez Colombia - Pink Bourbon Thermal Shock
This Pink Bourbon was designed for filter brewing, but it’s just as delicious with milk. Juicy notes of blueberry, blackberry jam, cherry, and grapes turn creamy and vibrant, offering a unique, fruit-forward experience.
Flavor: Blueberries, Blackberry jam, Cherry, Grapes
Cupping score: 90+
Origin: Colombia
Region: Quindío
Producer: Sebastian Ramirez - Finca El Placer
Varietal: Pink Bourbon
Process: Anaerobic Natural CM, 240 hours fermentation
Altitude: 1744MASL
Roasted for: Filter
SEBASTIAN RAMIREZ
Sebastian Ramirez, a fourth-generation coffee producer, has grown coffee for almost two decades. Sebastian’s family has been producing coffee for over 100 years. When the time came for him to continue his family's legacy, he knew this was his opportunity to radically change the family’s business model.
El Placer Farms sold coffee to the local cooperatives before Sebastian's time. The prices paid for coffee were always dictated by the coffee market. Sebastian's thoughts were on this: “Too much work for little reward. ” Before he started leading El Placer Farms, he enrolled in a three-year coffee education at Sena. These one of Colombia’s public educational services is well known for delivering high-quality education. Sebastian first focused on learning to taste coffee, “I knew this was the way to go. Many coffee producers are unaware of how their coffee tastes and end up selling it at low prices as a result. If you know how your coffee tastes, you will likely connect with people looking for specific flavours.
Additionally, you have more control over your pricing. It is a win-win.” During those three years, Sebastian also learned about farming and processing techniques, as well as coffee roasting and various brewing methods. His work also takes a community approach. El Placer Farms provides free consultancy to coffee producers from whom Sebastian buys coffee cherries, encouraging them to produce the best coffee they can. El Placer Farms has been recognised in several international championships; in 2023, our Wush Wush won the WCIGS championship, and in 2024, our Gesha White Honey won the Irish Barista Championship and also placed 6th in the WBC, to name a few of El Placer’s achievements.
PROCESS
Carefully harvested and sorted, the cherries are selected with 95% fully ripe and 5% semi-ripe to achieve the ideal balance. They then undergo anaerobic fermentation in 200-liter tanks for 120 hours at a constant 18°C, with controlled CO₂ injection to create an oxygen-free environment that enhances flavor development. After pulping, the coffee enters a second 120-hour fermentation, this time submerged in water and exposed to a 40°C thermal shock enriched with wild berries—a process that locks in distinctive flavor compounds from the berries, adding depth and complexity to the profile.
Drying follows slowly and precisely—first under a canopy at 40°C and 25% humidity for about 20 days to preserve aromatic qualities, then for an additional 5 days in a parabolic dryer under shade cloth to ensure uniform moisture without over-drying. Once dried, the beans are packed in Grain-Pro bags and allowed to stabilize for 15 days, enabling the flavors to harmonize. The final stage is one of precision: hulling to remove the parchment layer, carefully hand-selecting to maintain only the highest quality, and vacuum-packing to preserve freshness until the coffee reaches its destination.