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

Bourbon-descendant varieties originate from a natural mutation of the Typica variety. Over time, Bourbon gave rise to other important cultivars such as Caturra and, more recently, Pink Bourbon. This latest variety has gained significant attention for its high potential to develop unique and exotic flavor profiles.

The process for this profile begins with the careful harvesting of coffee cherries at their optimal stage of ripeness, when sugar concentration in the mucilage is at its highest.

The cherries are fermented and then depulped. The parchment coffee is subsequently fermented with citric yeast, a step designed to promote fruity flavor development. During this stage, a liquid extract derived from the coffee pulp contributes additional flavor precursors. The coffee then undergoes a thermal shock washing process, which helps fix these precursors within the bean.

Drying is carried out in a dehumidifier to gently remove moisture. This controlled method preserves delicate flavor notes, limits over-oxidation of the coffee seed, and effectively stops metabolic activity, preventing overfermentation.

After drying, the coffee is stabilized and stored in a cool environment. Final selection and threshing are performed according to strict quality standards to ensure consistency and quality in the finished coffee.