This coffee's story 

Daniel Bermúdez represents a new generation of Colombian producers who approach coffee with a scientific and experimental mindset. Together with his family, he operates Finca El Paraíso, a farm that has gained international recognition for innovative processing methods rather than traditional profiles. Rather than focusing primarily on terroir expression through classic washed processes, Daniel became known for developing precise and repeatable fermentation protocols. His approach integrates controlled temperature, pH monitoring, oxygen management, and carefully defined fermentation times. This allows him to design flavor profiles with a level of consistency that was historically difficult to achieve in coffee production.

One of his most notable contributions is the refinement of double fermentation and thermal shock techniques. In these processes, coffee cherries or pulped beans undergo multiple fermentation stages, sometimes followed by rapid temperature changes using hot and cold water. These steps alter cellular structure, stabilize aromatic compounds, and significantly intensify fruit expression, sweetness, and mouthfeel.

Coffees from El Paraíso often present highly expressive profiles, featuring tropical fruit, florals, creamy sweetness, and vibrant acidity. Because of this clarity and intensity, his coffees are frequently used in barista competitions, including World Barista Championship routines. Despite the experimental nature of his work, Daniel emphasizes control rather than chaos. His goal is not fermentation for its own sake, but precision and reproducibility. Every variable is measured and adjusted to ensure that each lot performs consistently from batch to batch. Daniel Bermúdez’s work reflects a broader shift in specialty coffee toward process-driven flavor design. While this style can be polarizing, his influence is significant. He has expanded the boundaries of fermentation in coffee and helped redefine what is possible when processing is treated as a craft in itself.

Processing 

This is undoubtedly one of the most complex processes ever developed by Finca El Paraíso. The overripe coffee cherries are disinfected with ozone and subjected to multiple stages of anaerobic fermentation in pressurized bioreactors loaded with a culture medium formed by the must of a Pink Bourbon coffee variety adjusted with a series of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

The coffee is subjected to thermal shocks at different stages of the process and is finally dried by condensation, preventing the volatilization of its delicate aromas.