Watermelon: Finca La Marina • Co-Fermentation

Our second coffee from Qimas processing lab this year combines ripe watermelon into the fermentation, creating a coffee that is fresh, fruity and unmistakably fun.

Like its sibling lot, this coffee comes from Risaralda, a cornerstone of Colombia's Coffee Cultural Landscape and part of the Eje Cafetero alongside neighbouring Caldas and Quindío. The department's volcanic soils, high altitudes and temperate climate make it ideal ground for high-quality coffee. Grown between 1,750 and 1,800 metres above sea level, this coffee is another product of Qima's ongoing partnership with Colombian farmers dedicated to redefining what's possible in the cup.

As with the rest of the infused selection, this lot begins with a careful sort of ripe cherries, followed by a controlled thermal shock where the coffee experiences a spontaneous rise in temperature, followed by a gradual cooling down to 10°C. The cherries are depulped over 10 to 12 hours to initiate oxidation, before moving into a hermetically sealed bioreactor with yeast and ripe watermelon. Here, the fermentation is monitored closely for temperature, pH and Brix to ensure the fruit's natural sweetness and freshness carry through to the final cup.

This lot also draws on the Castillo and Caturra varieties. Castillo offers resilience and consistent cup quality thanks to its resistance to coffee leaf rust, while Caturra contributes a clean, bright base. The pairing gives this coffee the structural backbone to support such a bright, fruit-forward fermentation.

The Coffee

Traceability: Finca La Marina < Risaralda < Colombia

Process: Co-Fermentation

Varietal: Castillo, Caturra

Tasting Notes: Watermelon Candy, Lime, Mint

Brew Guide

18g Coffee - 300g Water

50g Bloom for 30s
70g Spiral Pour, 30s Pause
60g Circular Pour, 15s Pause
60g Circular Pour, 15s Pause
60g Circular Pour, Drain

Total Brew Time - 3:00s