Huver Castillo - Anaerobic Honey Gesha

Jasmine, Wild Honey, Citrus

Origin: Buesaco, Nariño, Colombia
Farm: El Paseo
Producer: Huver Castillo
Elevation: 1800 MASL
Process: Yeast Inoculated Anaerobic Honey
Variety: Gesha

The Cup

Everything about this coffee screams Gesha—except the price point.

Vibrant jasmine florals meet bright yuzu citrus in a cup that simply drinks special. Wildflower honey sweetness carries through from first sip to finish, while an unexpected herbaceous note reminiscent of hops adds complexity that makes this coffee unforgettable on the cupping table.

About the Producer

Huver Castillo comes from a long line of coffee growers, though returning to the family farm wasn't always the plan. For years, he worked as a math teacher in Nariño, far removed from coffee production. But when global prices collapsed in 2014, Huver made a pivotal decision: return to his roots and risk everything to save the family farm.

It wasn't easy. Years of trial and error followed before the Castillo family exported their first specialty lots in 2018. That shift from commodity to specialty—combined with relentless focus on quality and processing innovation—transformed their livelihood.

Today, Huver works alongside his father on the farm that's been in their family for over 20 years. What started as necessity has become a source of deep pride: resilience, achievement, and coffee that speaks for itself.

The Process: Yeast Inoculated Anaerobic Honey

This is precision fermentation at its finest.

Fermentation Phase One: 48 Hours
Hand-picked cherries arrive at the processing facility at peak ripeness. Whole cherries are packed into temperature-controlled vessels and deprived of oxygen. Brewer's yeast musto is added to create a controlled fermentation environment that develops complexity from the start.

Depulping & Phase Two: 24 Hours
The cherries are depulped without water—a dry process that preserves the mucilage coating the beans. This mucilage-covered coffee goes into dry containers for an additional 24 hours of fermentation, where the sugars transform, amplifying sweetness and depth.

Drying: Slow & Controlled
The lot is spread on African raised beds in a temperature-controlled room. For the first seven days, drying happens slowly at low temperatures (no more than 35°C), then progresses gradually until the beans reach optimal 12% moisture content. This careful approach locks in all the nuanced flavors developed during fermentation.

The result? A Gesha that delivers all the elegance and complexity you expect from the variety, at a price that makes it accessible—proof that great coffee comes from great care, not just famous farms.