The Coffee: 

Producer: Jhon Rodriguez

Farm: Finca Rio Negro

Processing: Advanced Washed 

Varietal: Red Bourbon

Tasting: Red Jam, Hibiscus, Cacao Nibs

The Producer: Jhon Rodríguez

Jhon Rodríguez is the third generation to work Finca Río Negro, and the first to treat fermentation as a measurement problem.

The farm exists because of a migration. In the 1960s and 70s, Jhon's grandparents left the Eje Cafetero, the Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas belt where nearly all Colombian coffee grew at the time, and came south to Huila looking for land. They were teenagers. They arrived with their parents, bought a parcel in the vereda La Esperanza above San Adolfo, and started over. Jhon's father took it on next and held it together through decades that were not kind to smallholders. Jhon grew up watching that.

Today Río Negro is 18 hectares at 1,700 meters, producing roughly 30,000 kilos of parchment a year, most of it specialty. The old Caturra, Colombia and Común plantings have been steadily replaced: Pink Bourbon, Bourbon Ají, Tabi, Yellow Bourbon, Ombligón, and this Red Bourbon.

What sets Jhon apart is how he got good. His first attempts at fermentation did not work, so rather than keep guessing he went and studied. Three courses with the biologist Julián Cucuñame on fermentation chemistry and food safety, then in-person training with Enrique López at Finca El Chelín in Mexico. He came back with protocols instead of hunches, and it shows in every lot that leaves the farm.

On the process: what "Advanced Washed" actually means

Advanced Washed is not a standard category, so here is precisely what happened to this coffee.

Cherries were picked at full ripeness, floated to remove underripes and defects, then washed in 50°C water. That hot wash is the move that makes everything after it possible: it knocks down the wild yeast and bacteria living on the cherry skin, so the fermentation that follows is driven by the culture Jhon chose rather than whatever happened to be in the air that week.

The cherries were depulped with a measured amount of mucilage left behind as fuel, then sealed in anaerobic tanks with a defined inoculant. Through the entire ferment, Jhon tracked four numbers: Brix for remaining sugar, pH for acid development, total dissolved solids for mucilage breakdown, and electrical conductivity as a confirming signal. He pulled the tank when the readings hit target, then arrested fermentation with a 35°C wash.

Drying took eight to twelve days in the sun down to a moisture content between 10 and 11.5 percent, then the parchment rested in sacks on pallets, off the ground, while moisture equilibrated through the bean.

Most coffee sold as experimental is fermented on a timer. This one was fermented on instruments. That is the whole reason it tastes like it does, and the reason Jhon can do it again next harvest.

On the variety

Red Bourbon in Colombia is a decision, not an inheritance. For decades the national growers' federation pushed Castillo and Colombia varieties for leaf rust resistance and yield, and for good reason, since rust nearly broke the country's coffee sector. The tradeoff was that a lot of Colombian coffee started tasting the same. Planting true Red Bourbon means accepting rust susceptibility and meaningfully lower yield per tree in exchange for what the cup can do. Jhon took that trade on purpose.

Worth knowing if you've had Río Negro's Pink Bourbon: despite the name, Pink Bourbon is not genetically a Bourbon at all. Recent variety work traces it to Ethiopian landrace material rather than a Bourbon mutation. This one is the real thing, and the cacao nib depth underneath the fruit is Bourbon showing up exactly where you'd expect it.

The Importer: 

Know Where Coffee

Juan Diaz, the mind and heart behind Know Where Coffee, is a master at discovering and building lasting relationships with some of the most talented coffee producers in his region. With a deep background as a barista competitor and years of experience across the coffee industry, Juan approaches sourcing with both precision and purpose - always pursuing coffees that tell a story and connect people in meaningful ways.

Juan has been a dear friend and partner to Makeworth since our early days as a roasting company. His dedication and expertise have helped shape our coffee menu, consistently introducing us to remarkable lots that have become treasured favorites among our retail guests and wholesale partners alike.

Every coffee sourced through Juan reflects not just quality, but care - the result of his unique ability to bring exceptional producers and roasters together in pursuit of something truly special.