We landed in Bogotá and jumped straight into a café crawl. There’s something truly special about experiencing coffee at its origin. In Colombia, coffee really is more than a drink; it's a source of immense pride. People take great care in what they do, and it shows. Coffee is not only their national export but also something they are genuinely proud of—especially the diversity in terroirs and flavor profiles from the different growing regions. What makes it even more incredible is that every café you visit really only serves Colombian coffee, and it’s always exceptionally fresh. In the U.S., by the time coffee reaches us, it’s been sitting around for weeks after harvest. But in Colombia, cafés are sourcing almost directly from producers, which adds a level of freshness that we simply don’t get at home.
And then there's the hospitality. As an Ecuadorian, I can say, no disrespect to the South, but Southern hospitality has nothing on Latino hospitality. In Colombia, you feel like you're walking into someone's home when you visit a café. They genuinely care about the product they’re serving and the environment they’re creating.
One café that always stands out for me is Tropicalia. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—it's my favorite café in the world. If you’re ever in Bogotá, you need to make a point to visit. They’re hyper-focused on highlighting producers, and they showcase their stories and pictures alongside the pour-overs. The coffee is incredible, but the entire experience is what makes it so special. They serve their pour-overs at a methods bar, or as they call it, Barra de Métodos, where you can sit, talk, and watch the brewing process unfold right in front of you.
It’s such an intimate experience, and it’s exactly the kind of thing we want to bring to Resident. Tropicalia has been a huge inspiration for us—both in how we approach roasting and how we want to create an experience in our shops. They pair everything with care, including the food, and they’re excited to share the stories behind the coffee.
LUIS MIGUEL
Going into day two, we hopped on an in-country flight to Armenia, Colombia, and from there, drove into Quindío. This region is overflowing with coffee magic—a place full of beauty and home to many producers we’ve worked with before. It’s where our farm visits kicked off, and first up was Luis Miguel.
Luis’s story is something else. He started out as a huge coffee enthusiast—completely obsessed with everything about it. If you know Noe, then you know the type—just in love with the product. Luis opened Polimata Café as a way to serve coffees from the roasters he admired, and it wasn’t long before he got into roasting himself. He started buying green coffee from local producers, constantly visiting farms and learning more about the craft.
As Luis became more convinced that specialty coffee was his life’s calling, he brought his family on board. His family had land that once grew commercial coffee, and he convinced them to switch to specialty coffee, starting with his uncle Huberto. Huberto began growing the coffee, while Luis took charge of processing and roasting it for his café. What started as a passion project grew into a full family operation. Luis eventually got his own property to grow and process coffee while still buying cherries from his friends and local producers in the area.
This year marked our first working with Luis, and we sourced his natural process coffee, Carnaval. The coffee was incredibly sweet, and we got to experience it at origin. Luis took us to see the lot where Carnaval grows, and on top of that, he had some green coffee ready to roast that day. Noe roasted a batch alongside him, right there at the farm, which made the whole experience feel even more special.
Luis’s coffee has been a standout on our menu this year, and everything about our visit was a reflection of what we already knew about him: his passion, his drive, and his love for coffee. Getting to meet him in person and see the entire process—from his café to the farm—was a huge moment for us. It was a chance to deepen our relationship with him, and we’re excited for what’s to come.
JUAN PUERTA
That same day, after visiting Luis, we headed down to see Juan Puerta, the master of co-fermentation. He’s the only producer we’ve sourced co-fermented coffee from, and we couldn’t be prouder to showcase his work. His coffees, like the peach co-ferment, strawberry co-ferment, and the recent rose and lychee co-ferment we released as Como La Flor, have consistently stood out. Juan’s approach is next-level, and I genuinely believe his co-fermented coffees are the best on the market.
During our visit, we toured Juan’s farm and processing center, getting a glimpse of the improvements he’s making on the property. He walked us through the co-fermentation process, where he’s working with Castillo, a classic Colombian variety known for its mild, traditional profile. Instead of sticking with the usual methods, though, Juan processes the coffee using honey methodology to add a layer of sweetness. What really sets his approach apart is the co-fermentation technique he uses, which he calls osmotic dehydration. This involves pairing the coffee with native fruits, florals, and herbs during fermentation to create unique flavor profiles.
The highlight of our visit was seeing a batch of coffee being co-fermented with Curuba, a native Colombian fruit similar to passion fruit but with a more intense acidity. Watching the process in action was amazing, but tasting it afterward? That took things to another level. The tropical, vibrant flavors of the Curuba blended with the coffee in such a dynamic way—it was an experience I won’t forget.
Co-fermentation is still controversial in the coffee world. Some believe it compromises the integrity of coffee and goes against the traditions of specialty coffee built over the last couple of decades. But I strongly disagree. Co-fermentation has a place in the industry, not just as a way for producers to continue making a living but as an opportunity to introduce new flavors that can draw more people into specialty coffee. Juan’s process is clean, high-quality, and rooted in tradition—he’s not using chemicals or artificial flavors. He’s using native fruit, knowledge, and an incredible amount of dedication.
Juan’s journey has been one of resilience. Starting with almost nothing, he’s built something truly remarkable. We’re proud to be his partners, and we’re excited to keep pushing his work forward. Keep an eye out for his Curuba co-ferment—it’s coming to our menu soon, and it’s one of the most exciting coffees we’ll release this year.
JOSE GIRALDO
The following day, we started our morning by visiting José Giraldo at his farm, Las Marias, home of Café 1959. This was a dream come true for us. We’ve been working with José for years—pretty much since the beginning—and it felt like everything had come full circle. We’ve even hosted José for a public cupping at our roasting space where he shared his processes, his history, and what makes his coffee stand out. That event was such a success that we packed out the parking lot, much to the annoyance of our neighbors, and we haven’t held anything quite like it since.
Visiting Las Marias was an entirely different experience, though. This farm is a high-end variety garden, and it’s where José refines some of the most exciting experimental varieties, including Geisha, Wush Wush, and Mokka. Right as we began the hike down the mountain—which, by the way, was the steepest climb of my life—José asked us to do something special. He asked us to taste the cherries from different trees and compare the flavors between sub-varieties of Geisha. It’s part of the process he went through when Las Marias first started over 10 years ago. He planted different sub-varieties, tasting the cherries repeatedly over time until he found the exact combination that created the flavor profile he was after—juicy, fruity, and absolutely unique.
As we moved down the mountain, we continued the same exercise with the Wush Wush variety, and later with the Mokka variety. We even did it with the flowers from the Geisha trees, which were in bloom while we were there. That was rare and added another layer of complexity to the experience. The flavors were like candy, with distinct differences between the sub-varieties and the types of coffee we were tasting.
José’s dedication to improving coffee shows in everything he does. His passion is evident, and his meticulous approach to finding the perfect profiles is what makes his coffee so special. We’re excited to bring his Wush Wush variety back to the States, and it’s going to be our most expensive release ever. But trust me, it’s worth every cent. We’ll be releasing it in a 100-gram format soon, so be on the lookout for that—it’s going to be a blast.
And yes, I almost died hiking back up that mountain. Don’t ask about those pictures.
SANTIAGO PATIÑO
After leaving José’s farm, we made our way to Finca El Ocaso, owned by Santiago Patiño. Santiago has been a long-time partner of ours, and over the years, we’ve sourced several of his coffees, including his pink bourbon, released under Finca El Ocaso, and a rare variety called Papayo, which we recently released under his own name.
The visit started with us getting absolutely drenched by the rain as we arrived, but that didn’t dampen the experience. Finca El Ocaso is a coffee tourism destination where visitors can stay at the on-site hotel, take coffee tours, visit the plants, and enjoy a coffee on the property. Once we were settled, Santiago took us through what he’s most passionate about: education. He’s committed to showing people the value of specialty coffee and why it’s different from commercial-grade coffee. His Instagram account, @santiagoelcafetero , has nearly a million followers, and he uses the platform to break down these differences for the everyday consumer. His goal is to make specialty coffee more accessible by educating people on why it’s worth more and what goes into creating such high-quality profiles.
During our tour of the farm, we saw Santiago’s variety garden, where he’s experimenting with different seedlings, and we visited his drying patio. Then we got to sit down for a cupping session, which was a highlight of the visit. Santiago is known for his incredibly clean coffee profiles, but what stood out during this cupping session were the new experiments he’s working on. He’s now diving into co-fermentation and inoculation techniques during fermentation, which is fascinating because he’s someone who, in the past, has been more traditional in his approach.
It was exciting to see how Santiago is pushing himself to explore new processes, even though these methods are still considered experimental in the coffee world. It’s inspiring to witness producers like him embracing innovation while staying grounded in quality. Finca El Ocaso was beautiful, and seeing tourists there, learning about coffee, and enjoying the entire experience was a reminder of how far Santiago has come in bringing specialty coffee to a broader audience.
EDWIN NOREÑA
And that leads us to our last day in Armenia, which we started by visiting Edwin Noreña at his Campo Hermoso farm, or as he likes to call it, his coffee research and development center. We’ve been working with Edwin since our first year, and if you’ve tried any of our Red Fruits, Golden Washed, IPA, or Lychee Process coffees, you’ve experienced the results of his experimental work firsthand. Edwin is known for pushing the boundaries with funky fermentation techniques, consistently producing some of the most unique coffee profiles out there.
We first met Edwin at the warehouse of our importing company, Yellow Rooster, and more recently hosted him for an event at the Alchemy Work Club in Gainesville. Shout out to Andy and Aaron for opening their doors and allowing us to share Edwin’s incredible work with the local community. During that event, Edwin explained his heart behind these funky profiles, and what struck me most was his vision for coffee in Colombia—not just for today, but for the next 10 or 20 years. He’s thinking long-term, and it shows in everything he does.
Our visit to the farm started with a tour of his HQ, lab, and drying center. He has one of the largest drying patios in the area, and it’s a sight to see—massive and incredibly well-organized. From there, we headed down to the farm itself, where Edwin grows his pink bourbon cherries. We also got to see an entire section dedicated to growing seedlings and new coffee trees. One of the most exciting things Edwin is doing right now is experimenting with the Sidra variety, an Ecuadorian native that was originally developed by Nestle but later abandoned. Edwin has continued to bring seeds from Ecuador and plant them on his farm, and the results are stunning. Sidra produces a coffee that’s exceptionally clean and different from what you typically find in Colombia.
After exploring the farm, we visited the main fermentation area, where Edwin’s magic really happens. He has these massive vats full of coffee in various stages of processing—some in honey process, others still in cherry form. He opened one vat where he was inoculating cinnamon and other spices, and as soon as the vat opened, the smell of sweet baking spices hit us. You could literally hear the active fermentation happening, with the cherries making popping sounds as they fermented. It was wild.
Edwin is definitely a scientist at heart. He controls every variable—time, temperature, everything is logged and fully controlled to ensure the processes are repeatable. His team makes sure that each fermentation protocol is dialed in so that the results are consistent every time. But beyond the science, what impressed me most was Edwin’s long-term vision. He’s focused on understanding how different varieties interact with terroir, elevation, and soil quality, not just for his own production but to optimize the production of other farmers as well. He’s working to improve the quality of Colombian coffee for everyone, not just for himself, and that’s what makes his work so special.
We ended the day cupping and chatting with Edwin, and I left with a deep respect for his dedication to pushing the coffee industry forward. His experimentation with varieties and terroir is laying the groundwork for the future of Colombian coffee, and we’re excited to continue working with him. Keep an eye out—there’s much more to come from Edwin and Campo Hermoso.
ANA MARIA DONNEYS
Our last stop in Armenia took us to Café Primitivo, Ana Maria Donneys' project. The journey there had a bit of adventure—we popped a tire on the rough roads leading to her farm. But after getting the spare on, we were greeted with the kind of warmth and hospitality that Ana is known for.
Ana is not just the founder of Café Primitivo; she’s also the co-founder of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) in Colombia. She’s dedicated to empowering women in coffee, connecting them, and advancing their roles in an industry that has historically been dominated by men. When she visited us in Gainesville, she shared how challenging it was to take over her family’s coffee operation and get the team on board, especially when many had only worked under male leadership. That context made our visit to her farm even more meaningful.
At Café Primitivo, Ana is striking a balance between tradition and innovation. She’s keeping the core elements of her family’s legacy while refining and recreating many of the processes to bring them up to modern standards. The farm is named after her grandfather, Primitivo, and you can feel the sense of family and tradition in everything she does. But she’s also driven to make things better, more efficient, and more forward-thinking.
We spent time in her cupping lab, tasting some of the new projects she’s working on, and hearing from her general manager, Arturo, about the chemical processes and new fermentation techniques they’re experimenting with. They’re pushing boundaries with bacterial inoculation during fermentation, creating profiles that are unlike anything we’ve seen before from Ana. It was fascinating to see how Ana and her team are continuing to innovate while staying grounded in tradition.
One of the most memorable parts of the visit was seeing the care Ana puts into her team. We met some of the coffee harvesters and saw the beneficio—the area dedicated to feeding and hosting the temporary workers during peak season. The operation was intricate, and despite the farm producing more than it was designed to handle during harvest, Ana was on top of everything, managing it with a sense of magic and precision.
This year, we were thrilled to feature Ana’s coffees in a three-pack, which was a huge hit. The reception was incredible, and Ana loved how we presented her coffees. Our partnership with her is something we’re really proud of, and we can’t wait to continue sharing her work with the world.
That wrapped up our time in Armenia, leaving us feeling inspired and excited for what’s to come.
PEDRO SOLANO
As we left Armenia, we were excited and energized by everything we’d seen and the relationships we’d strengthened with producers. The final leg of our trip took us on a series of two in-country flights—from Armenia to Bogotá, and then Bogotá to Bucaramanga—followed by a four-hour drive to Ocamonte. Here, we were headed to visit Pedro Solano, a producer we’ve been working with for two years now, located in the coffee-growing region of Santander.
Santander is known for producing incredibly sweet, chocolatey coffees, the kind that truly represent the classic Colombian coffee profile. If you remember our Santander blend, it was based on that region’s co-op blend—a beautiful, steady coffee that’s become a hallmark of the region. Pedro, however, takes it further by focusing on specialty coffee, and the quality of what he grows speaks for itself.
Our first visit to Pedro’s farm was in 2022, and it was actually Noe and I’s first farm visit ever. Back then, we tasted our first coffee cherries, and it left a lasting impression on us both. This time, Pedro greeted us in town, and the first thing he told us was that he had a new house and farm, just 10 minutes up the mountain from his previous one. It was a massive upgrade for him and his family, and it was incredible to see how much had changed in just a couple of years.
Pedro took us up to his new property, where he’s continued growing and processing coffee, but what struck me the most was that he’s still operating his original farm down the mountain. He’s managed to maintain both farms while significantly improving his and his family’s quality of life, and seeing that progress felt like a win for all of us. After the tour, we shared a lunch, some beers, and lots of conversation about the state of coffee and the industry.
One of the most special things about our partnership with Pedro is that in 2022, we were able to purchase 100% of his lot that was exported to the U.S., and we did the same this year. It’s relationships like these that are at the core of what we do. Partnering with producers year after year, committing to each other, and taking risks together is what makes this work so meaningful.
A heartwarming moment from 2022 that still sticks with me is when we released Pedro’s coffee, and my Facebook notifications were flooded with posts from people in Ocamonte. They were sharing photos of the coffee bags with captions like “De Ocamonte al mundo,” meaning “from Ocamonte to the world.” The pride they felt in Pedro, representing their small town on the global coffee stage, was palpable. That connection—seeing the direct impact we can have on a community through coffee—is why we do this. It’s a reminder that the stories we tell and the relationships we build are as important as the coffee itself.
REFLECTION
As the sun set on our last day, a mix of emotions set in. Funny enough, I had developed a corneal abrasion and could barely see out of one eye—it was swollen shut—but as I reflected on the trip, all I could feel was gratitude. Seven farm visits in seven days, each one special in its own way, is an experience I’ll never forget. Coffee is both the most complex and the simplest product in the world, and we, as roasters and brewers, get to be the link that brings it all together.
What a privilege it is to represent the people who grow coffee, and what an incredible job we have to tell their stories well. So with that, peace out. Love you all. Stay tuned for these coffees hitting our menu soon.