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Gold Box Roastery — Microlot • Huila • Co-fermented forest berries • Experimental anaerobic process
Colombia Frozen Berries is a highly expressive, process-forward microlot from the acclaimed Huila region of Colombia. Mirroring the experimental ethos of its sister lot, this coffee is built on a foundation of meticulously harvested, high-Brix cherries. The defining step is a five-day anaerobic co-fermentation with a specific blend of dehydrated forest berries (including raspberries and blackberries). This process is designed to deeply infuse the bean with rich, jammy fruit esters and a complex winey structure. The careful mechanical drying that follows ensures the preservation of these volatile aromatics and a clean finish. The resulting cup is a showcase of depth, featuring a profile dominated by rich berry jam, dark chocolate, and a winey, refined acidity. It carries a plush, heavy body perfect for both filter and nuanced espresso. This page offers a detailed look at its journey, taste profile, and brewing best practices.
Sourced from high-altitude smallholder farms within the San Agustín Coffee Producers network in Huila, the foundation of Colombia Frozen Berries is its exceptional raw material. Farmers select only the reddest, highest-Brix cherries for this lot, ensuring a dense concentration of fermentable sugars. Post-harvest, the cherries undergo an initial 48-hour conditioning phase: a 24-hour pre-fermentation followed by 24 hours of in-cherry anaerobic rest. This stabilizes the sugars and begins gentle microbial activity.
The key flavor development occurs after pulping, during the five-day anaerobic co-fermentation. The beans are submerged with their mucilage alongside a precise ratio of dehydrated, concentrated forest berries. The goal is not to mask the coffee, but to use the berries' concentrated sugars and organic acids to direct the yeast and bacteria toward producing high concentrations of berry-like esters. The anaerobic environment promotes complex esterification, resulting in the signature jammy profile.
After the intense fermentation, the beans are slowly dried mechanically over approximately 12 days. This slow, controlled drying is critical to lock in the berry aromatics and ensure even moisture content (target 10.5–11.5%). Finally, the green beans rest in sealed containers for a week-long stabilization period, allowing the internal and external flavors to integrate perfectly before export. This disciplined approach delivers an intensely flavored yet structurally clean cup.
On the palate, Frozen Berries delivers on its name: a powerful surge of mixed berry jam, specifically **raspberry** and **blackberry**, is immediately apparent. This primary note is anchored by secondary layers of high-quality **dark chocolate** and a hint of **spiced wine**. The profile is rich and heavy, presenting a beautiful confluence of fermented depth and clean fruit clarity.
The mouthfeel is a major highlight—plush, heavy, and syrupy, feeling full-bodied on the tongue. The acidity is refined, wine-like, and surprisingly structured, cutting through the sweetness and preventing the cup from becoming cloying. The finish is long, complex, and memorable, often resolving with notes of cocoa powder and residual berry sweetness. It excels when brewed as a rich filter coffee (French Press or Kalita) or as a powerful, fruit-forward espresso shot, where its body truly shines. This lot is a testament to how fermentation can enhance coffee's natural complexity, providing a luxurious, dessert-like experience.
Huila's reputation for exceptional coffee is deeply tied to its varied micro-climates and the traditional farming methods employed by smallholders. The San Agustín Coffee Producers network brings together innovative farmers focused on quality and sustainable practices. The process-forward nature of the **Frozen Berries** lot is a direct result of collaborative experimentation, where farmers and the Gold Box team share knowledge on managing anaerobic fermentation and leveraging co-fermentation inputs.
The altitude and soil composition in Huila give this lot a natural high acidity and sugar content, making it an ideal canvas for fermentation. Growers are paid a premium that recognizes the additional risk and labor involved in these experimental processes, helping to foster innovation, improve living standards, and support the community's commitment to specialty coffee excellence. Traceability is central; every batch can be linked back to the contributing farms and processing steps.
The co-fermentation with dehydrated forest berries serves a dual purpose: it introduces concentrated aromatic precursors (esters and ketones) and provides a highly-specific nutrient environment that guides microbial fermentation. Dehydration of the berries concentrates the desired compounds, preventing over-dilution of the coffee mucilage during the five-day soak. The prolonged anaerobic period forces the yeast and bacteria to work slowly, yielding a deeper, more complex range of flavors (mostly berry and chocolate notes) compared to a simple washed or dry process.
Crucial for the success of this profile:
The final profile is a delicate balance of Huila's clean terroir and the powerful, directed complexity of controlled fermentation.
We recommend a **medium-light to true medium roast** for Frozen Berries. A slightly longer development than the Frozen Passion Fruit is beneficial, as it helps to round out the fruit acidity and develop the complementary dark chocolate and body notes. Suggested roast curve highlights:
A fuller roast profile helps this coffee excel as espresso, enhancing the chocolate notes and creating a heavy, luxurious crema. For filter, ensure the roast doesn't suppress the beautiful berry aromatics.
French Press / Immersion
Use a coarse grind and a 1:14 ratio for a full, dense, and syrupy cup. Water temp: 95°C. Steep for 4:00–4:30 minutes. The immersion method maximizes body and draws out the deep chocolate and jammy berry notes.
Kalita Wave / Flat Bottom Pour-Over
Grind medium. Recommended ratio: 1:16 (coffee to water) for clarity. Water temp: 92°C. The flat bottom ensures even extraction, delivering the complex fruit and chocolate notes in a balanced, clean manner. Total brew time 2:45–3:15.
Espresso (Recommended)
Dose: 19–20 g. Output: 38–40 g. Total shot time: 27–32 seconds. The espresso format is outstanding; it produces a syrupy, concentrated shot with intense berry jam and dark chocolate flavor, and a thick, reddish-brown crema.
The rich, jammy, and chocolate-forward profile of **Frozen Berries** makes it ideal for pairing with heavier, dessert-focused foods. Try:
Serve this coffee a little warmer than the Passion Fruit lot to highlight the mid-palate chocolate and body. It also makes an exceptional base for a rich, fruit-driven coffee mocktail or an intense cold brew.
As a collaborative microlot, the **Frozen Berries** project ensures complete traceability back to the San Agustín network. The high price paid for this experimental lot directly incentivizes the producers to undertake the technical risk and labor-intensive nature of co-fermentation. This premium supports ongoing sustainability efforts, including investing in necessary infrastructure like mechanical dryers and fermentation tanks, and promoting integrated agroforestry practices across the participating farms to ensure long-term soil health.
Q: Is the berry flavor natural or added?
A: The flavor is generated through a co-fermentation process where the natural compounds of dehydrated forest berries are infused into the coffee bean's mucilage, resulting in a rich, natural-tasting berry *note* in the final cup, not an artificial flavoring.
Q: How does this differ from "Frozen Passion Fruit"?
A: While both use co-fermentation, **Frozen Passion Fruit** is bright, acidic, and tropical, while **Frozen Berries** is dark, jammy, chocolate-forward, and features a heavier body. They offer two distinct expressions of process-led coffee.
Q: What is the recommended brew method for beginners?
A: Due to its heavy body and rich flavor, the French Press is an easy and forgiving method that yields a fantastic cup.
Q: Does this coffee need a long rest after roasting?
A: Yes. Because of the process, the coffee can be a bit volatile immediately after roasting. We recommend resting the beans for 10–14 days for filter and 14–21 days for espresso to allow the complex flavors to stabilize.
Colombia Frozen Berries is a luxurious and deeply rewarding microlot, perfect for lovers of naturally processed or experimental coffees who seek deep, chocolatey, and wine-like fruit intensity. It offers a unique sensory journey and is a staple in the Gold Box Roastery's experimental line. Given its small-batch production, we encourage prompt purchasing when available.
Gold Box Roastery is a Dubai-based specialty coffee roaster renowned for its passion and precision. With a team that includes competition-level baristas and certified Q-graders boasting over 20 years of industry experience, the brand commits to sourcing exclusive microlots and competition-level beans through direct trade relationships.
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