Colombia - Peñas Blancas - Estate 1 Natural Anaerobic

GrainPro package 35 kg

🌱 Social project with real impact

The Peñas Blancas Coffee Processing Center is not just a processing station – it is a transformative social project that aims to improve the living conditions of small coffee farmers in the Acevedo, Huila region in the long term.

The station was created as a response to fundamental problems that local farmers have been facing for many years:

• limited access to modern processing technologies,
• unstable quality and low purchase price,
• minimal access to select and international markets.

Peñas Blancas removes these barriers by centralizing coffee processing under professional supervision , providing top-notch infrastructure, technical support and fair financial compensation . Thanks to this, even small producers can achieve quality corresponding to the highest standards of fine coffee and obtain a more stable and dignified income.

🤝 Community-driven initiative

The Peñas Blancas project is built on the pillars of collaboration, education and sustainability . The station functions as a community center where farmers, agronomists and experts from the coffee world meet.

Farmers are provided with:

- practical workshops focused on post-harvest processing,

- training in fermentation techniques,

- basics of quality control and working with micro-lots,

- consultancy in the field of sustainable cultivation.

This knowledge has a direct impact on the resulting cup — higher quality means a higher purchase price , the possibility of reinvestment in the farm, and long-term economic stability.

Peñas Blancas also reinforces the sense of value of farmers' work . Through transparent prices and direct business relationships, the project reduces economic uncertainty and allows families to invest in education, infrastructure, and the future of future generations.

👤 Ownership and management

The Peñas Blancas Coffee Processing Center is led by a pair of visionaries: Nestor Lasso and Jhon Vergara , two respected producers from the Huila region who are at the forefront of the modern Colombian selection scene.

Nestor Lasso

Nestor is a young, progressive farmer known worldwide for his experimental fermentation methods . His deep interest in microbiology, fermentation control, and working with varieties places him among the pioneers of a new generation of Colombian producers.
In Peñas Blancas he is primarily responsible for:

• development of fermentation protocols,
• quality control,
• innovations in natural and anaerobic processes.

John Vergara

Jhon brings a strong background in farm management, logistics and post-harvest processes . His role consists of:

• working with farming communities,
• ensuring fair trading conditions,
• education of producers,
• quality stabilization across individual lots.

Together they created a center that serves not only to process coffee, but as a platform for the development of the Acevedo region .

⚙️ Natural process in Peñas Blancas

Step by step:

Selective harvesting
Only fully ripe cherries with a high sugar content are harvested, manually and in several passes.

Density and flotation sorting
The cherries are sorted in water to remove unripe and defective fruits.

Anaerobic pre-fermentation
Selected cherries ferment in closed tanks without access to oxygen for 48–72 hours , which intensifies the fruity and floral characteristics.

Slow drying on raised beds
The fermented cherries are dried for 25-30 days on African beds. The process is slow and controlled to ensure the sugars develop evenly.

Regular rotation and inspection
Cherries are often turned to prevent overheating, overdrying, or mold growth.

Stabilization and dry milling
After reaching the target moisture of 10.5–11% , the coffee rests in parchment, then is peeled, sorted and prepared for export.

Flavor profile : Strawberries, tropical fruits, chocolate pralines, floral notes, creamy body, citrus acidity

Country of origin : Colombia

Region : Huila, Acevedo

Processing station: Peñas Blancas

Owners: Nestor Lasso and Jhoan Vergara

Farm : Small-scale growers delivering cherries to the Peñas Blancas processing station

Farmer : Smallholder farmers supplying cherries to the Peñas Blancas processing station

Altitude : 1600-1900 m above sea level

Variety : Castillo & Caturra

Processing : Natural Anaerobic

Cupping Score : 86.5

Crop: Mitaca Crop 2025/2026