Sebastian Ramirez El Placer - CM White Honey + Yeast Gesha - Brian Quan Collab

Colombia — Sebastián Ramírez Gesha

Tastes Like — 🪻 Lavender • 🍑 Apricot • 🍊 Mandarin Orange

DETAILS

• Producer: Sebastián Ramírez
• Farm: El Placer
• Region: Quindío, Colombia
• Varietal: Gesha
• Process: CM White Honey + Yeast Inoculated
• Altitude: 1800 masl
• Size: 125g

INTRO — Processing Innovation from Colombia's Producer of the Year

From Moonwake: 

We’re really happy to be sharing another collaboration coffee with our friend Brian Quan(YouTube // IG) . This one was a fun friends'-of-Brian project where Brian chose the coffee, and we, along with Picolot and Newbery Street Coffee Roasters, each got a split to roast in our own way. It was cool to see how the same coffee could be approached from different perspectives.

Sebastián Ramírez represents a new generation of Colombian coffee innovation. Recently named Sprudge's Notable Coffee Producer of the Year, Sebastián has transformed his family's historic estate in Quindío into a cutting-edge processing facility where experimental fermentation meets exceptional varietal selection. His approach is unique: rather than simply growing coffee, he curates cherries from select farms in Huila and applies advanced processing techniques to unlock flavour profiles that push the boundaries of what's possible.

This Gesha lot showcases Sebastián's signature style—combining a carefully monitored CM white honey process with proprietary botanical yeast inoculation to create aromatics and flavours that are genuinely extraordinary. The result is a coffee that feels like a journey from start to finish, evolving from intense floral perfume to silky stone fruit complexity.

THE PRODUCER — Sebastián Ramírez & El Placer

El Placer's history stretches back to the 1980s when it operated as a large coffee estate in Quindío. Today, the property functions differently—only half of its original production remains active, and Sebastián has reimagined it as a sophisticated processing facility rather than a traditional farm. He oversees cherry purchases from the remaining farm plots and sources select specialty varieties—particularly Gesha and Pink Bourbon—from carefully chosen farms in Huila.

This model allows Sebastián to focus entirely on what he does best: processing and flavour development. By sourcing exceptional cherries and applying his expertise in fermentation science, he's able to produce lots that compete with the world's finest coffees. His success hasn't gone unnoticed—his recent recognition as Sprudge's Notable Coffee Producer of the Year acknowledges his contribution to advancing coffee processing in Colombia.

Looking ahead, Sebastián has recently acquired a new farm where he plans to cultivate exclusive varietals like Wush Wush and SL-28 that are challenging to grow in Quindío. This expansion will give him even greater control over the entire production chain, from genetics to final processing.

THE PROCESS — CM White Honey with Proprietary Yeast Inoculation

Sebastián's processing method combines the controlled mucilage retention of white honey processing with advanced fermentation science. The protocol is carefully monitored at every stage to ensure consistency and complexity:

• 🍒 Cherry Selection — Only the ripest Gesha cherries are selected for processing
• 🦠 Mosto Preparation — Harvested cherries are placed with mosto (fermentation starter) in tanks
• 🧪 48-Hour Yeast Inoculation — Sebastián's proprietary botanical yeast mixture is introduced and cherries ferment for 48 hours in controlled conditions
• ⚙️ Waterless Depulping — Cherries are depulped without water to retain maximum mucilage
• ☀️ Shade-Patio Drying — Coffee is dried slowly on large shaded patios, allowing controlled development of the white honey process character

The CM (controlled mucilage) white honey process retains a specific amount of mucilage on the bean, adding body and sweetness whilst maintaining clarity. The addition of Sebastián's botanical yeast inoculation takes the coffee further, developing intense aromatics and complex fruit flavours that distinguish his lots from standard honey-processed coffees.

THE CUP — Perfumed Florals Meet Silky Stone Fruit

This coffee announces itself immediately with aromatics that are genuinely over the top. The intensity of the perfume is striking—before you even take a sip, you're enveloped in floral and spice notes that signal something special. As the cup develops, the initial intensity gives way to layers of silky fruit and bright citrus that add depth and balance.

Flavour Notes

• 🪻 Lavender — perfumed, intense floral aromatics that dominate the nose and opening
• 🍑 Apricot — silky, nectarine-like stone fruit that emerges as the cup settles
• 🍊 Mandarin Orange — sweet citrus adding brightness and depth
• Cardamom — warming spice notes that weave through the florals

The cup progresses beautifully from start to finish. Those perfumed lavender florals and cardamom spice hit immediately on the nose and first sip, creating an almost overwhelming aromatic intensity. As the coffee settles, a silky nectarine note comes through, mixing with sweet mandarin orange to add depth that balances the intense florals. This is a coffee that demands your attention and rewards it with constant evolution and discovery—truly a journey from start to finish.

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 8-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.