Colombia Los Pinos
Sergio Caro’s Anaerobic Chiroso is a remarkable expression of one of Colombia’s most sought-after varieties. Meticulous fermentation brings layers of blackberry, white peach, and blood orange to a coffee that is intensely fruited, elegant, and beautifully composed.
Specs
2390 |
|
Chiroso |
|
Cherries are collected and hand sorted, then rested for 24 hours before undergoing anaerobic fermentation in sealed barrels for three days without water. After this stage, the coffee is depulped and fermented for an additional three days with the addition of musto from the initial fermentation. The coffee is then softly washed and dried on raised beds for 7–10 days. |
|
July-August 2025 |
|
Caicedo, Antioquia |
Chiroso has become one of Colombia’s most exciting coffee varieties, though its origins remain something of a mystery. Recent genetic research has confirmed that Chiroso is an Ethiopian landrace, placing it among varieties such as Gesha, Sidra, and Pink Bourbon that possess extraordinary potential for quality. The variety first rose to prominence in the region around Urrao, making Sergio’s coffee a particularly compelling expression of both variety and place.
Sergio’s processing brings out that potential through a meticulous, multi-stage fermentation. After careful hand sorting, whole coffee cherries undergo three days of anaerobic fermentation in sealed barrels. The coffee is then depulped and returned to the barrels with fresh coffee “musto,” or cherry juice, for another three days. Finally, it is gently washed and dried slowly on covered beds in the shade.
The labor-intensive process creates remarkable sweetness, layered fruit, and clarity without overwhelming the character of the variety. In the cup, blackberry and ripe white peach meet vibrant blood orange acidity, creating a coffee that is intensely expressive yet remarkably composed.
Sergio Caro is a first-generation coffee producer farming Los Pinos, a small farm high above the steep valleys near Caicedo, Antioquia. Before starting his own farm, Sergio worked for a cooperative in nearby Urrao, where he learned to recognize and develop exceptional coffees. While his siblings left for the city, Sergio returned home with a singular goal: to produce some of Colombia’s finest coffee.
Coffee occupies only a small portion of Los Pinos, where just a few hundred Chiroso trees currently grow. Sergio produced only 1,250 kilograms of parchment in 2025, yet nearly every lot reached exceptional quality and earned prices well above the local market. He hopes to expand his coffee production and eventually purchase the farm outright.
Wonderstate visited Los Pinos in 2025, walking the farm alongside Sergio and seeing firsthand the remarkable environment where this coffee grows. The farm sits at one of the highest elevations we’ve encountered in Colombia, with a cool climate that delays harvest well beyond the surrounding region. The challenging conditions produce small, slow-growing trees and exceptionally concentrated fruit.