Chorro Alto | Papayo | Colombia

Yeast Inoculated Extended Ferment Rehydrated Natural

Profile: Light Filter

Notes: Pina colada, Drumstick lollies, cotton candy

Region: Oporapa, Huila

Farm/CWS: Finca Chorro Alto

Producer: Eduardo Rojas

Altitude: 1800m

Variety: Papayo

TLDR: What on earth is this? Basically another Quebraditas experiment thats what. So so mad.

Ok so we're all getting used to seeing these crazy coffee's on peoples lists - and no we're not even closed to getting bored of them. The "Quebraditas Group" as we'll call it is a collection of producers associated with Edinson Argote and his partner Luz Angela Rojas. These guys are full on microbial biology scientists - applying a deeper understanding of fermentation to their processing than pretty much anyone else out there.

The results are consistently redefining what's possible in coffee, without adding any bullshit fake "co-ferment" flavours*.
*Probably

 

Finca Chorro Alto - Eduardo Rojas

Perched above Oporapa, Finca Chorro Alto is a small family-run farm led by Luz Angela Rojas. The farm sits between 1,600–1,800MASL, with stable conditions that support slow cherry development and high-density seed. Production is focused on small, separated lots, with an emphasis on varieties such as Chiroso and Papayo and controlled fermentation protocols to build clarity and structure in the cup.

Chorro Alto operates as a family project, with the wider Rojas family involved across picking, processing, and drying. The farm is also part of the Quebraditas network in Huila, where shared infrastructure and technical input support a consistent approach to fermentation and post-harvest handling. This connection (Luz and Edinson are a couple) has shaped the farm’s current style, with a focus on precise processing and repeatable profiles. This lot has been separated by family member Eduardo Rojas.

 

Processing

Ok, so this is a lot of work, no wonder it tastes mental:

1. Harvesting: This is carried out ensuring a minimum of 90% ripe cherry.

2. Floating: This ensures the removal of green, overripe, and dry cherries through density selection.

3. Oxidation: The selected cherries are oxidised in food-grade plastic drums for 72 hours, allowing controlled pre-fermentation.

4. Pre-drying: Following the 72 hours of cherry oxidation, the coffee enters an initial drying phase to reduce the moisture content to approximately 15%.

5. Rehydration: The coffee is then rehydrated using hot water to prepare the beans for the subsequent fermentation stage.

6. Fermentation: Fermentation is carried out for 144 hours at temperatures below 25 °C, using mosto from previous fermentations and a specific yeast to guide microbial activity and a tropical flavour development.

7. Final Drying: After fermentation, the coffee undergoes mechanical drying for 72 hours, with 38 °C during the first 18 hours followed by 32 °C for the remainder.

 

Oporapa, Huila

Located in the southern part of Huila, the municipality of Oporapa is a fairly small and historically agricultural area, with roots going back to mid-19th century settlement and earlier Indigenous Yalcón presence. Traditionally, its economy has been built on mixed agriculture—particularly coffee and fruit crops—but compared to neighbouring hubs like Pitalito, it remained somewhat overlooked and underdeveloped, in part due to infrastructure and market access limitations.

In recent years, Oporapa's begun to emerge more clearly within the specialty coffee landscape. High elevations, volcanic soils, and a humid equatorial climate provide ideal growing conditions, and a new wave of producers and projects have focused on improving processing, introducing exotic varieties, and building recognition for the area.

What was once a quieter producing zone is now increasingly associated with smallholder-driven, process-focused coffees, as producers work collaboratively to bring visibility and value back to the region.