A
Anonym Incredible coffee, complex, atypical and explorative, though nonetheless sweet and smooth. Absolutely recommended!
Skip to product information
Filter · Natural · Chocolate, cacao nibs, vanilla
Papayo - 240h carbonic maceration
🚚 At Purchase of 3 x 250g bags and receive free shipping within Germany.
€22,00 EUR
Unit price
€88,00 EUR/kg
Taxes included.
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Pickup available at Samstag Wochenende Markt Boxhagener Platz
Usually ready in 24 hours
Golden Papayo — 240 h Carbonic Maceration, rare Papayo variety from Quindío
A variety almost nobody knows, and a process that makes it shine. The Papayo variety is rare in Colombia: sporadically cultivated, barely documented, difficult to care for. Jaime Zuluaga and his son Juan Camilo grow it at Finca La Isabela as part of the El Samán Coffee Farms Project in Quindío. 240 hours of Carbonic Maceration, ten days in airtight tanks, moved twice daily: this transforms the bean into something unexpected. Chocolate, cacao nibs, vanilla, and in the background a tropical starfruit note that keeps the coffee vibrant.
Chocolate|Cacao Nibs|Vanilla|Starfruit
Region
El Tapado, Quindío, Colombia
Altitude
1,400 m
Producer
Jaime & Juan Camilo Zuluaga — Finca La Isabela (El Samán Coffee Farms)
Variety
Papayo
Processing
Natural, Carbonic Maceration 240 h
Score
87
Brewing
Filter coffee. V60, Origami, Aeropress or French Press.
Grind Size
Medium
Ratio
1 : 16
Dose
15 g
Water
240 ml
Temperature
93 °C
Brew Time
2:30 min
Recipe for V60. For Aeropress: grind finer, 1:14 ratio, 2 minutes immersion. → Recipe for your grinder & method
Processing
Carbonic Maceration, 240 Hours
The harvested cherries are placed in airtight tanks and flushed with CO₂. They ferment anaerobically for ten days, with the containers moved twice daily to ensure even fermentation. During this time, complex sugar and aroma compounds develop, giving the coffee its chocolate and vanilla notes. Afterward, the cherries slowly dry on raised beds. The result is a natural coffee with a depth that goes beyond classic fruitiness.
About the Producer – El Samán (Zuluaga Family)
The El Samán Coffee Farms Project in Quindío is an unusual endeavor. Jaime Zuluaga was a lawyer before dedicating himself to coffee. Today, he runs Finca La Isabela with his son Juan Camilo, with the goal of bringing back forgotten Colombian varieties and reinterpreting them through controlled fermentation.
The El Tapado region is located between Montenegro and La Tebaida at 1,400 meters, lower than most specialty coffee growing areas in Colombia. This is precisely what makes the difference: the moderate altitude combined with the long Carbonic Maceration creates a profile that focuses less on acidity and more on body and depth. A coffee for those who want chocolate in their cup, not just fruit. Freshly roasted in Berlin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Papayo variety?
The Papayo variety is a rare Colombian Arabica varietal whose origin and precise genetic classification are not fully documented. It is only grown sporadically in Colombia, mainly on a few farms in Quindío, and is difficult to cultivate. It is characterized by its elongated cherries with yellowish skin and a moderate yield. This very rarity makes Golden Papayo special: a coffee from a variety that is hardly known internationally and rarely found in the specialty world.
What is Carbonic Maceration in coffee?
Carbonic Maceration is a fermentation process originally from winemaking (classically in Beaujolais). The whole coffee cherries are placed in airtight tanks and flushed with CO₂. Without oxygen, anaerobic fermentation processes occur, in which sugars and aromas develop differently than with classic methods. In specialty coffee, Carbonic Maceration has been used since around 2015 to create more complex and deeper aroma profiles, often with notes of chocolate, berries, or wine.
Why 240 hours of fermentation?
240 hours is ten days, significantly longer than most coffees (typically 24 to 96 hours). This long fermentation under controlled conditions (airtight tanks, CO₂, moved twice daily) allows complex sugar and aroma compounds to fully develop. With the Papayo variety, this particularly highlights the chocolate and vanilla notes and gives the coffee unusual depth. Shorter fermentation would result in less complexity; longer could over-extract the coffee.
Who are the Zuluagas and the El Samán Project?
Jaime Zuluaga was a lawyer before dedicating himself to coffee. Today, he and his son Juan Camilo run Finca La Isabela in El Tapado, Quindío, under the name El Samán Coffee Farms Project. The focus is on rare Colombian varieties and controlled fermentation methods that give the coffee its unique character. The Zuluaga family is not a traditional coffee dynasty, but a generation of producers who view coffee as experimental craftsmanship. The Golden Papayo is their first export to Europe.
Which brewing method is best?
Filter coffee, ideally V60 or Origami. Medium grind, 1:16 ratio, 93 °C temperature, brewing time about 2:30 minutes. Aeropress also works very well (grind finer, 1:14 ratio, 2 minutes immersion), which enhances the chocolate depth. French Press yields more body, worthwhile for the cocoa-forward notes. Espresso is not recommended: the profile is designed for filter, and the depth is not fully expressed under high-pressure extraction.
