Julio Madrid - Nitro Watermelon

Colombia — Julio Madrid Finca La Riviera Caturra (Nitro Watermelon Advanced)

Tastes Like — 🍉 Watermelon Jolly Rancher • 🍑 Peach • 🍍 Pineapple • 🌹 Roses

DETAILS

• Producer: Julio Madrid (Producer) / Julio Quinceno (Process)
• Farm: Finca La Riviera
• Region: La Estrella, Risaralda, Colombia
• Varietal: Caturra
• Process: Advanced (Embryonic Stress + Nitrogen Bioreactor + Fresh Fruit)
• Roast: Medium-Light
  

INTRO

From Julio Madrid at Finca La Riviera — a Caturra processed through one of the most technically inventive and conceptually original methods in Colombian specialty coffee. The Nitro Watermelon is the creation of Julio's business partner Andres Julio Quinceno, built around the principle of embryonic stress — exploiting the metabolic activity triggered at the moment of harvest to direct flavour development through a multi-stage fermentation that ends in a nitrogen-injected bioreactor with fresh fruit. Candy-like, vibrant, and surprisingly approachable. In the cup: watermelon Jolly Rancher sweetness, peach, pineapple, mango, and a subtle rose florality.

THE PRODUCER

Julio Cesar Madrid is the director of the joint farm operation spanning Finca La Riviera and Finca Milán in Risaralda — farms first cultivated by Julio's ancestors over forty years ago. Together with his business partner Andres Julio Quinceno, Julio has made it his life's work to produce exceptional coffees through innovative and exacting processing protocols. Their work at Finca Milán has earned international recognition — including the farm's Logan and Sakura competition lots, and a second-place finish at the 2024 World Barista Championship by Jack Simpson using a Zarza Bella Vista lot processed with a similar philosophy.

The Nitro Watermelon process is Quinceno's own creation, built on a principle he calls embryonic stress — the observation that picking a coffee cherry kickstarts a metabolic process inside the seed as it prepares for germination, increasing cellular activity and internal temperature. By capitalising on this window of heightened biological activity, the team direct the fermentation through a series of stages designed to build vivid, expressive flavour while maintaining the cleanliness and structure that separate this lot from conventional experimental coffees.

THE PROCESS

The Nitro Watermelon Advanced process at Finca La Riviera involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Caturra cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🌡️ Embryonic stress activation — Freshly picked cherries placed in bags for 10–12 hours to quickly increase their internal temperature, exploiting the metabolic activity triggered by harvest ❄️ Cold water cooling — Cherries transferred to a cold water tank at 8–10°C to halt and reset the temperature after the heat phase 🔧 Depulping — Cherries depulped with mucilage collected separately 🌬️ Mucilage oxidation — Collected mucilage placed in plastic barrels for 10–12 hours to allow for controlled oxidation 🛢️ Nitrogen bioreactor fermentation — Full batch transferred to a sealed bioreactor, where it ferments for 4–6 days alongside fresh fruit, dried fruit powder, fruit hydrosols, and an injection of nitrogen gas ☀️ Thin-layer sun drying — Removed to drying beds and sun-dried in thin layers for 15–20 days until optimal moisture content is achieved

The nitrogen-injected bioreactor fermentation with fresh fruit is the defining step — by fermenting in a sealed, nitrogen-modified environment alongside carefully selected fruit ingredients, Quinceno builds the vivid watermelon and tropical fruit complexity that define this lot, while the precise temperature management throughout the earlier phases ensures the base fermentation remains controlled and clean enough to allow that complexity to shine without funk or booze.

THE CUP

A vibrant, candy-sweet, and thoroughly joyful advanced process Caturra from one of Risaralda's most inventive producer partnerships — watermelon Jolly Rancher sweetness, peach, pineapple, and mango tropical fruitiness, and a subtle rose florality in a surprisingly approachable and delightfully clean cup. Quinceno's embryonic stress theory in full, delicious effect.

Flavour Notes

🍉 Watermelon Jolly Rancher 🍑 Peach 🍍 Pineapple 🌹 Roses