Franky Stiven Hoyos

Pitalito, in southern Huila, has become home to a new wave of Colombian producers who are redefining what coffee can taste like. They combine rare varieties with meticulous fermentation work. This lot is a Gesha, one of the most celebrated varieties in specialty coffee. It traces its roots to the Gori Gesha forest in southwestern Ethiopia and rose to fame in Panama in the early 2000s. Gesha is low-yielding, fragile and demanding to grow, and needs high altitude and careful processing to reach its potential. When conditions align, it rewards producers with exceptional aromatic complexity and a clean, tea-like elegance that is instantly recognizable.

Franky Stiven Hoyos is a third-generation producer at Finca El Encanto. His grandfather started with 45 hectares of mixed crops, and his father planted 2,000 Caturra trees on 10 of them, laying the foundation for the family’s coffee tradition. Franky took an active role on the farm and trained in production, fertilization, cupping, roasting, barista skills and marketing, then applied that knowledge to his own work. Fermentation became his path to creating unique profiles, and he has steadily renewed the 10-hectare farm with exotic varieties. These include Gesha, Pink and Orange Bourbon, Caturra Chiroso, Papayo and Pacamara, all grown at around 1,620 to 1,650 metres above sea level. Today, he leads the project with the goal of seeing his work and passion reflected in every cup.

For this yeast innoculated washed Gesha, cherries are picked only when their sugar content measures between 22 and 28 degrees Brix. On arrival at the wet mill, they are floated to remove lower-density fruit and go through a 24-hour aerobic fermentation in cherry. They are then rinsed, sanitized and pulped. The parchment rests in open tanks for about six hours and is inoculated with a selected yeast culture. It then ferments for 38 hours submerged in closed, water-filled tanks before the mucilage is washed off. The clean parchment is pre-dried in the sun for 12 hours and finishes in a mechanical dryer for around 28 hours.

In the cup, you’ll find bright, juicy notes of pineapple and a playful, candy-like sweetness reminiscent of Skittles. Ripe banana adds roundness and a soft, creamy texture, while a delicate green tea note brings freshness and elegance to the finish. Overall, this coffee reminds us of a tropical fruit–green tea: playful and sweet, yet clean and refreshing.