Carambolo

Tasting Notes: Expect a tropical, refreshing cup with notes of starfruit, raspberry, lychee, apricot, and a crisp, lemon-like acidity layered over a buttery, milk-chocolate base.

The Coffee
Meaning “Star Fruit”, Carambolo is a coffee intentionally sourced from small group of progressive, generational Colombian farmers. Operating primarily out of the high-altitude, volcanic landscapes of Huila and Bruselas, these families have shifted from traditional farming to highly scientific, experimental microbiology. These high-cup-score (HCS) beans are celebrated for their juicy, complex flavor profiles.  

• Country: Colombia
• Regions: Bruselas and Huila
• Altitude: Grown at high elevations ranging from 1,780m - 1,900m above sea level.
• Varieties: The beans - a mix of varietals like Caturra, Castillo, and Tabi - are meticulously processed by Lohas Beans to maximise fruity brightness and balance

The Process

1. Reception & Sterilisation

Upon arrival at the processing facility, the whole coffee cherries are washed and thoroughly disinfected. This initial step removes any dirt, debris, or wild environmental yeasts and bacteria that could cause unpredictable or unpleasant defects during the later fermentation stages.

2. Open-Air Aerobic Oxidation

Before any pulping happens, the intact cherries are left to rest in open containers to oxidise for 24 hours. This brief exposure to oxygen begins breaking down the natural sugars inside the fruit pulp, kickstarting the flavor development.

3. Depulping

Once the 24-hour oxidation window closes, the cherries are mechanically depulped. The outer skin is stripped away, but the sticky, sugar-rich mucilage layer is left completely intact on the parchment-covered seeds.

4. Controlled Anaerobic Fermentation

The depulped beans are immediately transferred into sealed, oxygen-deprived tanks for a brief anaerobic fermentation phase. Without oxygen, specific lactic acid bacteria thrive, converting the sugars in the mucilage into complex fruit acids and giving the coffee its signature tropical sweetness.

5. The Thermal Shock (The Main Event)

This is where the thermal shock occurs. The fermented beans are aggressively rinsed with hot water (expanding the pores of the bean and forcing the newly created aromatic compounds inside) and then immediately blasted with ice-cold water (locking the pores shut and trapping those intense starfruit, lychee, and raspberry flavors inside the seed). This double-rinse also effectively strips away any remaining sticky mucilage.

6. Homogenous Mechanical Drying & Cellar Resting

• Controlled Dehydration: Rather than drying the beans outside under unpredictable sun and humidity, the washed beans enter a homogenous mechanical dryer. The temperature and airflow are precisely calibrated to dehydrate the coffee evenly without scorching it.
• The Final Rest: After reaching the ideal moisture content (typically between 10%–11%), the green coffee is packed and left to rest for a minimum of one week in a temperature-controlled environment. This stabilises the chemical compounds inside the bean before they are bagged and shipped overseas

The Producers

Carambolo coffee is sourced from various small scale farmers working with Lohas Beans to produce high-cup-score (HCS) beans. Lohas Beans is an acclaimed Colombian specialty coffee exporter focused on sustainable farming and experimental processing techniques. Founded in 2011 by Juan Pablo Campos, the company operates as a Certified B Corporation, bridging the gap between small-scale Colombian farmers and the global specialty coffee market.

Beyond the high-profile microlot stars, Lohas Beans scales its sustainable impact by sourcing from:

• Isolated Indigenous Communities: Providing market access and organic certification premiums to native communities in regional, low-income pockets of Colombia.
• Smallholder Farmer Associations: Partnering with regional collectives across Huila and Santa Marta, guaranteeing transparent pricing structures that shield independent families from volatile market fluctuations.