Moonwake Coffee Roasters - Zarza Coffee - Jhonatan Gasca - Yeast Natural Pink Bourbon | Colombia

Colombia — Jhonatan Gasca Zarza Coffee Pink Bourbon (Yeast Natural, Thermal Shock)

Tastes Like — 🥤 Cherry Cola • 🍊 Ruby Grapefruit • 🍓 Strawberry Yogurt

DETAILS

• Producer: Jhonatan Gasca

• Farm: Zarza Coffee (Bella Vista)

• Region: Bruselas, Huila, Colombia

• Varietal: Pink Bourbon

• Process: Yeast Natural, Thermal Shock

• Altitude: 1750–1800m

• Roast: Light

• Size: 227g

INTRO

We're excited to bring in another fermentation-forward coffee from Zarza, this time a yeast natural Pink Bourbon. This lot combines the expressive red fruit character we often find in Pink Bourbon with a more involved fermentation process, including anaerobic fermentation, yeast inoculation, and a thermal shock step.

THE PRODUCER

Zarza Coffee is a third-generation family project located in the mountains of Bruselas, Huila. Guided by family heritage and a commitment to quality, the Gasca family has built a coffee project grounded in traceability, sustainability, and respect for traditional practices.

The name Zarza, connected to the family surname Gasca, represents unity and continuity across generations. Through careful agronomic management and precise post-harvest practices, Zarza Coffee seeks to preserve the essence of Colombian coffee whilst adapting it to contemporary specialty standards.

THE PROCESS

The Yeast Natural process at Zarza Coffee involves:

• 👁️ Flotation Sorting — Fully ripe cherries sorted by flotation

• 🌬️ Oxidation Stage — Activates native microorganisms and prepares cherries for inoculation

• 🧪 Yeast Inoculation — Cherries inoculated with selected yeast cultures

• 🔒 Anaerobic Fermentation — Fermented in sealed tanks

• ❄️ Thermal Shock — Temperature shift applied after fermentation

• ☀️ Slow Drying — 20–30 days on raised beds

This involved fermentation process—combining yeast inoculation, anaerobic fermentation, and thermal shock—creates the wild, fruit-forward character that defines this expressive Pink Bourbon.

THE CUP

The result is a wild and very fruit-forward cup. The first sip brings a sparkling cherry cola character alongside ruby grapefruit, with a combination of sweetness and acidity that makes the profile particularly lively. As the cup develops, the texture becomes more prominent, taking on a creamy quality reminiscent of strawberry yogurt. The fruit remains at the centre whilst the body gives the coffee a softer, more rounded character through the finish.

Flavour Notes

• 🥤 Cherry Cola

• 🍊 Ruby Grapefruit

• 🍓 Strawberry Yogurt