FIZZY APPLE

Origin: Quindío, Colombia
Variety: Castillo
Process: Honey • Dry Anaerobic Co-Fermentation (Green Apple)
Farm: Finca Santa Mónica
Roast: Filter / Omni
Best For: Filter • Espresso

Fizzy Apple is a sweet, fruit-forward coffee with green apple, chocolate, and honeyed depth.

This coffee sits in our competition category, chosen to highlight what thoughtful processing can bring to an already solid varietal. A controlled dry anaerobic co-fermentation with green apples introduces bold, layered flavours and a bright, juicy acidity that lifts the cup without overwhelming it. The result is a coffee that’s expressive and complex, yet still cohesive and easy to enjoy.

We find it especially impressive with milk, where the sweetness and fruit character become rounder and more indulgent, though it remains versatile enough to enjoy black as well. Grown at an altitude of 1450-1500m on volcanic ash soils at Finca Santa Mónica, this Castillo microlot showcases modern processing while staying grounded in structure and drinkability.

We first purchased this coffee for Halloween in 2024, drawn to its distinctive flavour and unique profile. When the 2025 harvest surpassed the previous year in quality, we knew it was worth bringing back, this time with the competition stage in mind. Its structure and intensity made it a natural fit for high-level performance. 

Ian Kissick went on to use Fizzy Apple for his milk course at the 2025 World Barista Championship.

Jairo Arcila is a third-generation coffee grower from Quindío, Colombia, with over 40 years of experience across both farming and coffee export. 

After a long career managing mills at Racafé, Colombia’s second-largest exporter, he focused fully on growing coffee, purchasing and developing multiple farms across the region. In 2002, he acquired Finca Santa Mónica and replanted it with varieties like Castillo and Costa Rica-95 alongside his wife, Luz Helena Salazar. 

With the rise of specialty coffee, Jairo began planting Gesha, Pink Bourbon, Tabi, and Java, becoming one of the first in the region to grow some of these varieties. By combining deep technical knowledge with experimental processing and sustainable farming practices, he now produces expressive, high-quality microlots.

If you’re after something experimental that’s still approachable, this coffee is a standout.

V60 

Coffee: 18g

Water: 310ml

Temperature: 92°C

Total Time: ~2:30-3:00

Grind Size:  EK 8.5 / ~26-28 clicks on Commandate

Method

1. Rinse the paper filter, add 18g of coffee and gently level the bed

2. Bloom, add 50g of water

3. Swirl gently to ensure even saturation

4. Wait 30 seconds

5. Pour up to 150g total by ~1:00

6. Keep a steady, controlled pour

7. Pour up to 310g. Maintain a slow, consistent flow,

8. Let it drain completely (finish around 2:30–3:00)

 

Hario switch 

Coffee: 16g

Water: 280ml

Temp: 94°C

Time: 3:00

Grind size: EK 8 / ~25–27 clicks on Comandate

Method

1. Rinse paper

2. Add coffee 

3. Bloom with 50g of water for 30s (valve closed)

4. Open the valve for 30 seconds

5. Close the valve, add 150g of water (total 200g)

6. At 1m50s open valve

7. Let it drain

8. Slowly pour 280g of water 

9. Let it drain

Aeropress

Coffee: 14g

Water: 200ml

Temperature: 92°C

Total Time: ~2:45-3:00

Grind Size: 7-7.5 on EK / 24-26 on Comandante

Method:

1. Rinse the filter paper. Add 14g of coffee

2. Add all 200ml of water quickly

3. Stir 3-5 times gently

4. Insert plunger at ~0:20 (to stop dripping), let sit until 1:45-2.00

5. Press slowly (60 sec)

6. Finish around 2:45-3:00

Orea

Coffee: 18g

Water: 300ml

Temperature: 94°C

Total Time: ~2:30-3:00

Grind Size: 6-7 on EK / 20-24 on Comandante

Method:

1. Rinse the filter paper and preheat everything. Add 18g of coffee.

2. Spiral pour to 60g, wait 30s

3. Pour to 140g wait 30s

4. Pour to 220g, wait 30s

5. Pour to 300g and let it drain

 

We dispatch orders every Monday. The cut-off for orders is midday on the preceding Thursday.

We ship all orders via Royal Mail 24 Tracked. Deliveries typically arrive within 1–2 working days after dispatch.

All UK coffee orders qualify for free shipping.