Black & White Coffee Roasters

Grown at 2,350 meters in Bensa, Ethiopia, this natural-process coffee from producer Basha Bekele delivers an unusually complex profile for the region. After cherry selection and floating, whole beans are dried on raised beds under African sun, concentrating the fruit and sweetness. Expect a floral aromatic foundation with lychee and citrus notes that shift with brew method, plus a distinctive red wine character reminiscent of Pinot Noir—a genuinely off-profile high-grown Ethiopian that rewards exploration.

From Finca El Paraiso in Piendamó, Cauca, Colombia at 1,900 meters, this Castillo was processed using Diego Bermudez's signature Red Plum culture—a proprietary blend of cascara extract, mucilage, and wine yeast that initiates primary and secondary fermentation under pressure. After fermentation, the coffee receives a thermal shock wash, then dries at a controlled 35°C for 34 hours. The result is surprisingly balanced despite its intensive processing: white grape, peach, and turbinado sugar notes you'd expect from rare varietals, anchored by a playful strawberry candy character. This is coffee that proves Bermudez's reputation for extracting extraordinary flavor complexity through scientific precision.

Produced by Carlos Moreno at his family's Don Eli Wet Mill in Tarrazú's El Llano de La Piedra, this white honey process coffee sits at 1,800–2,000 meters elevation on Catuai trees. The cherries are pulped and mechanically de-mucilaged, then dried on raised beds for 12 days with frequent hand-turning before dry milling and three-stage sorting (screen, density, hand). The result is astonishingly clean fruit—candied orange and dried apricot—with deep, confectionary sweetness evoking maple and maple almond toffee, delivering the clarity you'd expect from a washed coffee but with the complexity the honey process adds.

Edgar Erazo's Pacas comes from Santa Barbara, Honduras at 1,750 meters, a region prized for intense sweetness and approachability. After hand-sorting and floating, whole cherries undergo a brief anaerobic fermentation before thorough washing and drying on raised beds—a process that amplifies the lot's signature character. Expect dark honey sweetness, delicate apricot stone fruit, and subtle candied orange acidity. This is a crowd-pleasing coffee that bridges specialty and approachability, and Black & White now purchases Edgar's entire Pacas crop each harvest.

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Grown at 1,950 meters in Volcán, Chiriqui, Finca Deborah's Geisha thrives in cloud forest conditions that slow ripening and concentrate sugars. The coffee undergoes 50 hours of carbonic maceration in sealed tanks with temperature and pH monitoring, followed by 25 days of shade-drying on proprietary three-tiered beds. The result is intensely floral with evolving fruit character: hot brings peach, mango, and red raspberry with milk chocolate finish; warm reveals tropical pineapple and floral honey notes; cool deepens into bergamot, green apple, and citrus with wine-like texture. This is producer Jamison Savage's hallmark precision—a coffee that demonstrates how altitude, variety, and meticulous processing create a cup with genuine complexity and refinement.

From Jairo Arcila's Finca Santa Mónica in Armenia, Quindío at 1,500m, this Castillo variety undergoes extended anaerobic fermentation in sealed bags with honey and powdered dragonfruit mixed into the mucilage. The result is intensely aromatic and funky—not a coffee for subtle palates. Expect sour candy and cherry popsicle brightness undercut by purple florals and hibiscus tea character at maximum volume. Arcila's three-generation family operation is known for alternative fermentation mastery and multi-farm sustainability in Colombia's coffee region.

Jhonatan Gasca's Pacamara grows at 1,750 meters in Bruselas, Huila, Colombia, on his farm Zarza. The coffee undergoes a hybrid process: 48 hours of oxidation in open bags, 150 hours of anaerobic fermentation to intensify fruit flavors, then a thermal shock finish—alternating hot and cold water to quench the cherries and lock in complexity—before two weeks of careful drying. The cup bridges naturally processed and washed coffees, delivering floral cherry blossom and peach iced tea with red fruit undertones of raspberry and craft chocolate, clean and refined rather than funky. This is Gasca's statement lot, a product of years of experimentation and resilience in processing innovation.

Los Nogales, a third-generation family farm in Pitalito, Huila, produces this Typica and Castillo blend at 1,870–2,000 meters elevation. Oscar Hernández employs a signature fermentation process using a specific yeast strain combined with thermal shock and oxidation, creating a distinctive fermentation profile that defies expectation: the coffee opens with big, round red fruit and cherry notes that evolve into tropical flavors (mango, peach, white grape), then settle into a dark chocolate ganache finish. The vibrant acidity cuts through what initially appears as a heavy, deep aroma, making for a coffee that rewards both your first sniff and your first sip. This is innovation rooted in family tradition and environmental stewardship.

Grown by smallholders in La Plata, Huila at 1,600–1,900 meters, this Castillo variety undergoes a distinctive two-stage fermentation. Cherries ferment aerobically for 12 hours before pulping, then the depulped coffee is co-fermented with commercial peach concentrate and Los Patios' proprietary solution for two days, followed by 12–16 days of constant rotation drying. The result is intensely aromatic with fresh peach notes and tropical fruit punch character—sweet and creamy like marshmallow cream, with the texture and flavor profile of peach boba tea. Los Patios' R&D-driven processing approach delivers fruit-forward clarity without fermentation funk.

Mulugeta Muntasha's operation in Arbegona, Sidama, sources from 600 smallholders at 2300–2400 meters elevation in a region that only began growing coffee a decade ago. Handpicked cherries are washed and dried on raised beds to optimal moisture, showcasing the rare single-variety JARC 74158. Expect vibrant acidity reminiscent of Meyer lemons, delicate apricot notes, white flower aromatics, and honey-like sweetness—a textbook expression of classical Ethiopian coffee at its most refined.

Oscar Hernández, a third-generation producer at Los Nogales farm in Bruselas, Huila, crafts this Geisha variety at 1,750 meters using the innovative DRD (dark-room dried) method—a slow, controlled fermentation and drying process in a UV-free environment that yields natural-processed coffee with washed-coffee clarity. The result balances processing influence subtly against the variety's inherent character: complex florals bloom alongside stone fruit (peach) and tropical notes (pineapple), with a long, tea-like finish reminiscent of oolong. This is coffee that demonstrates both heritage—Los Nogales was established in 1952—and forward-thinking innovation, making it a standout for those seeking nuance and terroir expression.

From El Cedral in Santa Barbara, Honduras—a region celebrated for exceptional coffee—Ramon Rodriguez's La Bendición farm grows a Pacas-Bourbon blend at 1,580 masl. After hand-picking at peak ripeness, cherries are depulped same-day and undergo 17–22 hours of dry fermentation in concrete tanks, followed by triple-rinsing and 10–15 days of solar drying to 9.5% moisture. The result balances vibrant acidity with profound sweetness: red apple and dates mingle with candied hazelnuts and brown sugar, creating an almost fair-food character—think candy apple rolled in chopped nuts. This is specialty-grade coffee (12th place in Honduras COE debut) that works equally well for connoisseurs and everyday drinkers.

Rodrigo Sánchez grows Bourbon and Purple Caturra at 1,500 meters in Huila, Colombia, on Finca El Eden. His signature co-fermentation technique—blending ten yeasts, dehydrated aromatic herbs like chamomile and mint, and molasses for 190 hours before adding cherry for another 150—creates an extraordinarily herbal and balanced cup. Expect citrus brightness (lemon verbena), white peach stone fruit, and floral honey sweetness that together evoke green tea more convincingly than most experimental coffees manage. This is precision fermentation in service of a clear sensory vision, executed by a producer who learned to cup his own coffee and never stopped innovating.

From Huila, Colombia at 1,800 masl, this decaf employs the sugarcane (EA) process, where green coffee is decaffeinated in-country before export. This vertical integration keeps the coffee fresher and eliminates costly cross-border logistics. The sugarcane method preserves flavor complexity better than traditional decaf techniques, yielding caramel and milk chocolate notes with genuine balance. It's a specialty-grade decaf that doesn't compromise on taste—proof that decaffeination and quality aren't mutually exclusive.

The Classic is a year-round blend combining washed coffees from Colombia's Las Nubes (1600–2000 masl) and Ethiopia's Aricha, designed to evoke the comfort and nostalgia of a traditional breakfast coffee. Both lots are washed-processed, contributing brightness and clarity to the cup. Expect caramelized sugars, subtle stone fruits, milk chocolate, and balanced acidity—a rounded, approachable profile that shines with cream and sugar.

The Future is a multi-origin Colombian blend sourcing from Quindío, Huila, and Nariño, built on advanced fermentation techniques including watermelon co-ferments and anaerobic processing. Two watermelon co-ferments from Rodrigo Sánchez provide the fruit-forward foundation, while Sebastian Ramirez's lemongrass co-ferment (IPA lot) adds funky complexity and booziness, rounded out by Huver Castillo's yeast-inoculated anaerobic Geisha for aromatics and honey-like sweetness. The cup delivers watermelon, complex citrus, agave-like sweetness, and tropical notes of mango candy—expressive and loud on the flavor spectrum, unapologetically bold.

The Natural is B&W's flagship blend, combining naturally processed coffees from China and Ethiopia that shift seasonally. The blend showcases red fruits—raspberries, cherries, and dark berries—layered with chocolate notes and a balanced to vibrant acidity. Natural processing brings the fruit-forward character that makes this an ideal entry point into specialty coffee, while the seasonal variation reflects the roaster's commitment to working with what's available. This medium-dark roast offers approachable complexity without sacrificing the brightness that defines quality natural coffees.

The New School pairs 85% washed Refisa from Oromia, Ethiopia with 15% peach-focused Gigante from Huila, Colombia processed via co-ferment. The blend bridges clean, classic coffee and experimental fermentation: expect vibrant peach and citrus complexity alongside black tea and milk chocolate notes. Black & White designed this year-round blend to prove you can embrace both traditional washed coffees and advanced processing innovation in a single, approachable cup.

The Original celebrates Ethiopia's foundational role in coffee history, sourcing washed Aricha beans from 1,900–2,200 meters elevation. The washed process highlights the coffee's natural delicacy and brightness. Expect delicate florals, citrus, and honey with balanced, light acidity and a tea-like body—a deliberate lighter roast that lets the coffee's subtle character shine through.

The Traditional is a dark roast from Las Nubes, Colombia, processed via washed method. Black & White's darkest offering balances the deep, approachable flavors dark roast drinkers expect—dark chocolate, cherry, marzipan—with the origin's inherent characteristics. It's crafted for those ready to upgrade from grocery-store dark roasts to specialty-grade coffee, proving that bold roasting and terroir expression needn't be mutually exclusive.

From Nyeri, Kenya at 1,800–2,000 meters, Thunguri Coffee Factory's anaerobic natural represents a leap forward in Kenyan processing innovation. Cherries are hand-sorted, then fermented in dry-ice-sealed tanks for 72 hours with regular agitation before drying 28 days on raised beds—a controlled approach that yields cleaner, brighter results than typical naturals. Expect a bold fruit profile: blackberry compote, hibiscus florals, and the signature Kenyan black currant note, rounded out by dark red fruit and jammy sweetness. This is a coffee that demands patience (off-gassing required) and rewards it with complexity rarely seen in East African naturals.

This is a multi-origin blend from Colombia's Antioquia, Cauca, Huila, and Quindío regions, born from Unblended's Young Producers Program—a mentorship initiative pairing seasoned farmers with emerging talent. The lots underwent various experimental processing methods, blending small experimental batches with established producers' larger harvests to ensure quality and market stability. The cup balances fermentation-driven tropical notes (mango) and complexity with strawberry sweetness and smooth chocolate body, creating something approachable yet sophisticated. It's a direct taste of Colombia's next generation of specialty coffee makers, backed by roasters who care about building relationships between producers and patrons.