Little Waves Coffee

Amor Prohibido is Little Waves' rotating blend of American coffees, crafted to deliver a consistently sweet, chocolate-forward profile. Notes of toffee and candied orange provide balance and complexity to this full-bodied cup. It excels in milk-based beverages, where its candy-sweet character becomes more pronounced. This is a approachable, indulgent blend designed for coffee drinkers who prize sweetness and body over origin complexity.

Ana María Donneys grows this Caturra at 1,450 meters in Circasia, Quindío, Colombia, on Finca La Paloma. The natural anaerobic process—12 hours controlled oxidation followed by 72-hour sealed-tank fermentation—builds complex aromatics and a creamy, juicy body. Expect blueberry, pink starburst, rum punch, and tamarind with a clean, lingering finish. Named for Ana's grandmother's favorite flower, this coffee merges family legacy with meticulous technique: slow sun-drying on African beds preserves lipid content for aromatic depth and stability.

From Finca La Primavera in Circasia, Quindío at 1,450 meters, this coffee showcases Ana María Donneys's partnership with the University of Quindío to push fermentation science. The honey anaerobic process—96 hours in cherry under CO₂, then 24 hours post-pulp with a university-isolated lactobacillus and yeast consortium—creates layered aromatic complexity while keeping fermentation clean and bright. Expect strawberry yogurt, magnolia, pink lady apple, and a papaya finish with the juicy acidity that comes from intentional lactic and citric acid development. This is specialty coffee rooted in research and respect for terroir, from a fifth-generation grower committed to quality and community.

This rare Geisha comes from San Juan la Laguna on the southern shores of Lake Atitlán, where AproCafé Atitlán's 54 smallholder producers cultivate coffee between volcanic peaks. The extended-fermentation washed process—36 hours in cherry, then 24 hours depulped fermentation—builds complexity while maintaining a clean, vibrant cup. Expect floral, lemon, honey, and white tea notes with notable sweetness and structure. Limited to one or two bags per harvest, this experimental microlot from an association-owned plot represents the group's commitment to innovation and represents only the second year of the roaster's partnership with AproCafé.

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From Bait Sel in Hayma Dakhiliya, Sana'a, this natural-processed Yemenia grows at 1,900–2,000 meters in one of Yemen's most isolated and historically significant coffee regions. The natural processing amplifies the coffee's inherent fruit sweetness and floral character, evident in notes of lychee, grilled peach, hibiscus tea, and vanilla. Little Waves Coffee purchased this lot at a premium price directly from the Al Oqabi women farmers—one of only 13 women-produced lots in the inaugural Best of Yemen auction. This is coffee with documented provenance and real impact on a resilient community.

From Tolima, Colombia, at 1,450 meters, this decaf comes from the Bayter family's El Vergel Estate, where Martha and her sons blend traditional methods with modern fermentation to develop fruity complexity. The caffeine removal uses sugarcane ethyl acetate extraction in circular containers—immersing the beans repeatedly until reaching 0.1% caffeine content, preserving the cup's integrity. Expect stonefruit and molasses with a nutty aftertaste, brewed as a full-bodied filter or espresso. A decade-long flagship proves the Bayters' commitment to quality decaf that doesn't compromise on taste.

Dinkinesh: Duromina hails from Agaro Gera in Jimma's Kata Muduga Cooperative Union, grown at 1,900–2,100 meters on Ethiopia Landraces. Washed processing brings clarity and brightness to this coffee, letting delicate floral aromatics of jasmine shine alongside pronounced fruit—guava, nectarine, and starfruit notes balance the coffee's beautiful acidity. The Kata Muduga Union's investment in new equipment and precision processing elevates quality across their region, making Duromina (meaning "improve their lives") a well-regarded offering that opens with vibrant layered fruit and closes clean.

Grown in Yirgacheffe's Gedeo zone at 1,900–2,200 meters by farmers partnered through SNAP, this coffee showcases JARC selections (74110, 74112) alongside indigenous varieties. The natural process develops the full fruit character these heirloom genetics offer, concentrating sweetness and complexity. Expect the bright, berry-forward profile Yirgacheffe is known for, with the additional depth that high elevation and careful fermentation bring. This is a single-origin for filter brewing or espresso—versatile enough for multiple methods while delivering genuine origin expression.

A carefully balanced blend of 70% Guatemala and 30% Ethiopia—with origins rotating seasonally—that earned Little Waves Coffee recognition as a finalist in Roast Magazine's 2022 Roaster of the Year competition. The blend showcases milk chocolate, apricot, and caramel notes in a clean, medium-bodied cup suited to both espresso and filter brewing. Named after a line from Michael Ondaatje's *The English Patient*, it reflects the roaster's philosophy of presence and attentive engagement with their sourcing partners, making it both a technically sound coffee and a statement of intentional practice.

Edwin Enrique Noreña's masterwork from Finca Campo Hermoso in Armenia, Quindio Department, grows at 1,600 MASL. The Black Honey process is co-fermented with watermelon and lemonade—a technique borrowed from wine and beer production—creating a cup that tastes exactly like its tasting notes: watermelon bubblelicious, rock candy, and rose water with juicy body. Noreña, a 3rd-generation producer and trained agronomist, engineered this to be approachable without professional palate training. The result is playful, candied, and addictively sweet.

Edwin Enrique Noreña's Geisha grows at 1,800 MASL on Finca Campo Hermoso in Armenia, Quindío Department. The black honey process combines carbonic maceration with extended lactic fermentation—cherries ferment 72 hours to produce mossto, then pulped coffee ferments another 72 hours with selected lactic yeast cultures before slow parabolic drying. The result is a velvety cup with rose, hibiscus, watermelon, and lychee, built on Noreña's proven mastery of co-fermentation borrowed from wine and beer production. A competition-grade coffee that makes complex fermented flavors unmistakably clear and approachable.

From Finca Campo Hermoso in Quindio Department, Colombia, at 1,600 meters, Edwin Enrique Noreña's Bourbon Sidra undergoes Black Honey processing with carbonic maceration and lactic fermentation—techniques borrowed from wine and beer production to deliver precise, repeatable flavor expression. The cup opens with pineapple and floral aromatics, then unfolds into lavender, peach tea, mango nectar, pineapple, lychee, and yakult (the probiotic milk sweetness a direct result of the lactic fermentation). Noreña, a Q-grader and Cup of Excellence judge, has built his reputation on making specialty coffee flavors unmistakably approachable—this competition-series offering proves why.

Grown at 1,600 MASL in Armenia, Quindio Department by third-generation producer Edwin Enrique Noreña, this Sudan Rume undergoes Black Honey processing with carbonic maceration lactic fermentation and co-fermentation with Enigma hops—techniques borrowed from wine and beer production to achieve repeatable, evocative flavor expression. Expect coconut cream aromatics, piña colada and key lime pie on the nose, followed by kiwi and peach candy notes that deepen as the cup cools, revealing new layers with each sip. Noreña's meticulous fermentation mastery ensures flavors aren't just present but unmistakably detectable, making this competition-caliber coffee equally rewarding for daily drinking.

Edwin Enrique Noreña's Smoothie is a co-ferment blend from Finca Campo Hermoso in Armenia, Quindio Department, Colombia, grown at 1,600 meters elevation. Two separate fermentations—one with purple passion fruit, one with banano (a small, sweet banana)—are married together using wine-inspired techniques to emphasize layered sweetness and clarity. The cup delivers pluot, purple passion fruit, Concord grape, açaí, banana Smarties candy, cinnamon, and honeyed notes with vibrant acidity that sharpens as it cools. Noreña's reputation for fermentation mastery and repeatability makes this a coffee where the labeled flavors come through unmistakably true.

A curated box set of three coffees from Edwin Enrique Noreña's Finca Campo Hermoso in Quindío Department, Colombia, grown at 1,600–1,800 MASL. Each lot undergoes black honey processing with carbonic maceration and lactic fermentation, a technique that defines Noreña's style. The trio highlights three distinct varieties—Geisha, Sudan Rume, and Bourbon Sidra—each expressing its own character while maintaining sweetness, aromatics, complexity, and delicate nectarous body. These are competition-selected coffees that reward careful brewing; pour over at 1:14 ratio or espresso at 1:2.1.

Jaguar is a carefully proportioned blend: 50% natural-processed Mexico provides juicy body with caramel, toffee, and chocolate notes; 30% washed Colombia and 20% washed Ethiopia add brightness and complexity. The natural component delivers a lush mouthfeel with cinnamon spice and fruity vibrancy, while the washed coffees contribute acidity and clarity. Roasted to taste like the sun, this is a versatile blend that shines across brewing methods—espresso, pour over, or batch brew.

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Katia Duke's San Isidro farm sits near Copán in Honduras at 1,300 meters elevation, where this natural-process Catuai and Obatán blend was dried cherry-forward and fruit-driven. The natural processing amplifies the fruit character—expect bright concord grape jelly, playful cotton candy notes, and warm apple pie sweetness that lingers on the palate. Katia, the farm's pioneering woman producer and certified roaster, reimagined her family's traditionally farmed land into a specialty coffee operation after Honduras' 2012 leaf rust crisis, building a thriving team and proving women-led farms drive community growth. Little Waves has carried her coffees for three years since discovering her first harvest; this natural is their third vintage and marks a coffee that consistently impresses.

Loma La Gloria sits within the El Boquerón crater of San Salvador's volcano at 1,400–1,700 MASL, where volcanic soils and elevation produce exceptional coffees. Anny Ruth Pimental's naturally processed Red Bourbon develops notes of plum, dried apricot, and peach green tea, balanced by date-caramel sweetness and a velvety body. This is the seventh and final release from the farm as Anny steps away from production—a bittersweet finale to a long partnership celebrated for its quality and commitment to women-led agriculture.

María Deya Camacho's Pink Bourbon from Finca El Divino Niño in Acevedo, Huila, sits at 1,400 masl and represents her commitment to quality—she placed second in Colombia's Cup of Excellence in 2011. The meticulous honey process begins with a 48-hour anaerobic pre-fermentation in sealed bags, followed by careful depulping that retains partial mucilage, another 48-hour sealed fermentation, a light rinse, and 12–13 days of controlled drying. The result is a bright, complex cup with green apple, blood orange, and raspberry candy notes. This was the #1 ranked lot at the Condor Huila Graduation Auction, where Little Waves paid $20 per pound green directly to the producer—a direct investment in a woman-led operation pushing boundaries in Colombian specialty coffee.

This blend draws inspiration from the historic Mokha Java coffee pairing, combining 50% Colombia with 50% Ethiopia—though component origins shift seasonally to maintain freshness and authenticity to the original concept. The roaster hasn't specified processing details, but the result is a full, creamy-bodied coffee with notes of peaches and cream, lemon meringue, and white chocolate. It's versatile enough for black coffee or milk-based brewing, making it a reliable everyday blend.

Positive Pressure is a rotating three-origin blend (40% Papua New Guinea, 30% Colombia, 30% Ethiopia) that shifts seasonally to capture the best each region offers. The blend is built for a full, creamy body with distinct flavor layers: Nutella-like richness, Madagascar vanilla sweetness, and bright cherry undertones. Versatile across espresso and filter methods, this is a well-rounded daily drinker that prioritizes balance and approachability without sacrificing character.

From Mae Suai in Chiang Rai, Thailand—a region cultivated by around 500 Akha hill tribe households—this coffee grows at 1,250–1,450 meters on a family farm run by innovative processor Nawin Yaesorkoo. The natural process, where freshly harvested cherries were floated, dried on raised beds, then milled and hand-sorted, brings out juicy fruit character: mango, mixed berries, white chocolate, and black tea. Thai coffee is rare in export (only 5% of the country's specialty production leaves annually), making this lot a meaningful window into a thriving, largely domestic coffee culture shaped by a new generation of producers.

Royal 7 is Little Waves Coffee's inaugural dark roast, a blend of American coffees developed to highlight dark chocolate, molasses, and nutty characteristics with a full mouthfeel. Named in honor of the seven young activists who led the first sit-in at Durham's Royal Ice Cream Parlor in 1960, this coffee connects to a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Each bag supports Feed Durham, a mutual aid collective nourishing the local Black community through grassroots food programs. It's a coffee that delivers classic dark roast comfort while funding meaningful community work.

St. Al's pairs equal parts Peruvian and Colombian coffees to build a full-bodied, low-acid profile ideal for cold brewing. The blend's chocolate-forward character and rich mouthfeel shine when steeped slowly—Little Waves recommends a Toddy Brewer to unlock its depth. This is whole bean coffee designed for at-home cold brewing, not a ready-made concentrate. Note that component origins rotate seasonally, so flavor nuances may shift.

José Julián Giraldo's Río Dulce Geisha grows at 2,050 MASL on Finca Las Marias in Pijao, Quindío, on Colombia's Eastern Andes. The washed process is unusually controlled: hand-picked ripe cherry ferments in a refrigerated room, then pulps and rests again before a multi-tier drying protocol that moves the coffee from sun-exposed beds to shade, followed by hermetically sealed fermentation and final slow drying to 10.5% moisture. The result is delicate and bright—candied lemon, papaya, dried mango, white florals, and tea-like clarity. This is the culmination of José's decade-long Geisha selection work and his studied approach to pH, temperature, and cherry ripeness, making it a standout expression of varietal and process precision.

Ternura is a seasonal Colombian blend designed to evoke comfort and nostalgia. The composition shifts with the harvest, but always centers on Colombian coffee's natural sweetness. Notes of strawberry jam, waffle cone, and chocolate cake create a full-bodied, syrupy cup that shines with milk. This is coffee built for indulgence—perfect for espresso or filter brewing.