Hertson Bernal, with his brother Jesus, are the owners of La Esperanza farm, located at 1,800 masl in the most famous coffee-growing region of Colombia, Huila.

They worked managing other coffee farms for several years, where they learned a lot, and their entrepreneurial spirit led them to Farm La Esperanza.

“My father was the one who taught us to be good people and to work in a variety of trades in order to be prepared for the future. He had no property, so he, my mother, and five brothers made their living by moving from farm to farm. I primarily worked in the coffee harvest on a daily basis, and it was during this time that we learned everything there was to know about working in the fields.”

On their first visit in 2006, despite its poor condition, they were captivated by the La Esperanza farm's potential for their project and their families. The farm had been abandoned, with old Arabica coffee trees, a dilapidated house and mill, and no dryer. However, its proximity to the school and village piqued their interest.

Hertson and his family relocated to La Esperanza after a year of hard work and began renovating the coffee plantations with various varieties. They constructed a new beneficio as well as a house for their family. Improvements have continued, with the addition of a worker's room and bathroom, and Hertson's brother and family have lived on the farm for the past seven years. The family is completely dedicated to farm work, with 4-6 workers on average and 10-14 during harvest season.

The coffee at the La Esperanza farm is grown in the shade, and harvesting is done selectively by hand, picking only fully ripe cherries.

This specific lot has been subjected to an anaerobic natural fermentation process.

During the anaerobic natural process, the coffee cherries are left for 220H in sealed tanks without oxygen but with a unidirectional valve to be able to expel it, allowing the naturally occurring bacteria and yeasts on the cherry to break down the fruit sugars and develop unique flavors.

At the end of the fermentation, the coffee is laid in thin layers on raised beds and is left to dry for around 25 to 30 days until the parchment is at the ideal moisture level. The process includes lots of moving and turning of the coffee cherries on raised beds in a very shallow bed of cherries.

Due to high heat during the hottest parts of the day, the coffee is carefully covered to prevent fast drying and ensure quality and longevity.

In the cup: Dark chocolate, black cherry, grapefruit, cedar. The body is creamy, and the acidity is juicy.

Minimum resting period: 10 days from the roast date for espresso roast, 5 days for filter roast.