Region: Punta Larga, Popayán, Cauca
Elevation:
1780 masl
About: Area 18 is a collaborative project established in 2024 with the goal of rethinking how coffee can be utilised beyond the bean itself. Bringing together three companies focused on sustainability, processing innovation, and agricultural development, the initiative explores ways to maximise the value of the coffee fruit while reducing waste through circular production practices.
This Castillo natural lot was produced at Agroparque Las Villas in Punta Larga, Cauca, a farm and ecological project founded near Popayán in 2012. Originally centred around ecotourism, rural lodging, and biodiversity conservation, coffee has gradually become central to the property’s identity and agricultural work.
Following sorting and cleaning, the cherries are placed into a controlled bioreactor environment for 48 hours. Oxygen flow, temperature, and other environmental variables are carefully regulated to encourage the activity of naturally occurring yeast strains present on the Castillo cherries. As fermentation progresses, these microorganisms consume sugars within the pulp and mucilage while developing aromatic compounds that shape the coffee’s final profile.
