Las Alasitas - Bolivia - Lactic Fermentation Geisha

Bolivia — Rodríguez Family Las Alasitas Geisha (Lactic Fermentation Natural)

Tastes Like — 🌸 Florals • 🍑 Stone Fruit • 🍋 Citrus

DETAILS

• Producer: Pedro Rodríguez (Agricafe)
• Farm: Las Alasitas (Finca Alasitas)
• Region: Bolinda, Caranavi, Bolivia
• Varietal: Geisha
• Process: Lactic Fermentation Natural
• Altitude: 1,642 MASL
• Size: 125g

INTRO

This is the dream combination of an exceptionally rare varietal and a highly innovative, complex process — a Natural Lactic Fermentation Geisha from Las Alasitas in Bolivia's Caranavi region. It is one of the most exciting microlots in April's current offering: both the variety and the process are uncommon, and together they produce something truly special in the cup.

Las Alasitas is a small farm owned by Pedro Rodríguez, who — under the banner of Agricafe — has spent over a decade building the market for Bolivian specialty coffee whilst supporting hundreds of local smallholder farmers to realise the potential of their land.

THE PRODUCER

Pedro Rodríguez entered the coffee industry in 1986, stepping away from a career in accounting to pursue his passion for agriculture. Through Agricafe, he and his family have become central figures in Bolivia's specialty coffee renaissance, working with farmers across the Caranavi region to replace coca farming with high-quality coffee production and demonstrating that Bolivia can produce world-class lots.

Las Alasitas was planted in 2014 and covers 20.6 hectares. The farm sits at approximately 1,642 metres above sea level in the colonia of Bolinda — a lush, steep mountain valley around ten kilometres outside the town of Caranavi. The name Bolinda is a contraction of 'Bolivia Linda' ('Beautiful Bolivia'), and the views from the farm — over the Rodríguez family's broader holdings and the mountains beyond — more than live up to the name.

The farm's high elevation and cool night-time temperatures result in a slow, uniform ripening of the coffee cherry, concentrating sugars and producing a naturally sweeter cup. Geisha, a variety renowned for its delicate floral complexity, thrives particularly well in these conditions. At harvest, trained pickers from the Villa Rosario community make multiple passes through the farm, selecting only cherries at peak ripeness.

THE PROCESS

The Lactic Fermentation Natural process at Las Alasitas involves:

• 🍒 Selective Handpicking — Cherries are picked at peak ripeness (almost purple) by trained pickers making multiple harvest passes
• ✅ Sorting & Weighing — Cherries are carefully weighed and inspected after picking
• 💧 Gentle Washing — Cherries are washed to remove any surface debris before fermentation
• 🧪 Lactic Fermentation — Whole cherries, husk ('cascara') intact, are placed in the family's custom-built stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature and pH conditions for approximately 10 hours, allowing lactic acid development
• 💧 Post-Fermentation Wash — After fermentation, cherries are gently washed with fresh water
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Coffee is laid out on raised African beds to dry slowly and evenly

The result — which the Rodríguez family also call a 'choco natural' — is a silky, creamy mouthfeel and a layered cup profile that balances the Geisha variety's signature florals and citrus brightness with the luscious, fruit-forward character of a natural process.

THE CUP

Las Alasitas Lactic Fermentation Geisha is a remarkably complex and nuanced cup. Expect the characteristic Geisha florals — jasmine and delicate blossoms — woven through stone fruit sweetness, lifted citrus brightness, and a long honeyed finish. The lactic fermentation adds a distinctive silky texture that sets it apart from a conventional washed or natural lot.

Flavour Notes

• 🌸 Florals
• 🍑 Stone Fruit
• 🍋 Citrus
• 🍯 Honey