Epoch X - Frank Torres Aji Bourbon

Frank Torres's family has been growing coffee in La Unión, Nariño, for more than 80 years. His grandfather, Marco Antonio Torres, was one of the first to plant coffee there. Today Frank runs the family's Finca La Indonesia, sitting at 1,750 metres in the Andes on mineral-rich volcanic soil. Before taking over the farm, Frank spent years on the buying side of specialty coffee, tasting lots from all over. That experience shows in how he farms and processes now. He has converted 90% of the land to organic agriculture, grows fruit and shade trees alongside the coffee, and treats every lot like an experiment worth repeating.

This lot is Bourbon Ají, a rare member of the Bourbon family grown mostly in Colombia. It's named for the mild chili (ají) it can carry, and it's known for ripening slowly to very high sugar levels and for responding beautifully to controlled fermentation.

That's exactly what Frank gives it. His Hydro-Honey process starts with a late, slow harvest, then the whole cherries go into a sealed bioreactor of filtered, ozonated water for 48–64 hours. Frank tracks temperature, pH, sugar and microbial activity the whole way through, adding oxygen on a set schedule to build body and aroma. The coffee then rests on raised beds before slow, low-temperature drying to lock in everything the fermentation developed.

You end up with a cup that is delicate, floral and quietly complex: hibiscus up front, juicy plum in the middle and a soft, buttery macadamia finish. The body is light and tea-like.

Details:

• Origin: La Unión, Nariño, Colombia
• Producer: Frank Torres, Finca La Indonesia
• Altitude: 1,750 masl
• Varietal: Bourbon Ají
• Process: Hydro-Honey (48–64 hr full-immersion fermentation)
• Drying: Raised beds, then mechanical dryer for 24–30 hours
• Tasting Notes: Hibiscus · Plum · Macadamia · Delicate

Brewing tip: This one shines as a pour-over. Try a V60 at 1:16, around 96°C, with steady pulse pours to keep the blueberry clean and the lemonade finish bright.