Subtext Coffee Roasters

Subtext Coffee Roasters

Colombia Gladys Aullon, Washed Caturra

Grown by Gladys Aullon at Finca Armenia in Arboleda, Nariño, Colombia at an exceptional 2,120 meters—high enough to benefit from the region's unique microclimate that allows coffee production at altitudes impossible elsewhere in Colombia without frost risk. Washed and fermented with precision: fully ripe cherries are floated, fermented for 30 hours, pulped, then left with mucilage for another 30 hours before two separate washes and 18–20 days of sun-drying on mats. This is the first year Gladys' coffee has been separated from community lots thanks to Apex and La Indonesia's support. At this elevation, Caturra expresses strong quality potential, with Nariño's nutrient-rich, well-drained soils and steep-slope terroir contributing complexity.

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Colombia Huila Fortune, Washed WP Decaf

This decaf draws from smallholder producers across three distinct areas of southern Huila, Colombia—Suaza, San Agustin, and La Plata—grown between 1,450 and 2,000 meters altitude. The coffee was decaffeinated using the SWP (Swiss Water Process), a chemical-free method relying solely on water and temperature to preserve the coffee's character. The lot blends Caturra, Castillo, Variedad Colombia, and Pink Bourbon varieties, capturing the micro-climatic diversity Huila is known for. With an 87.5 cupping score, this is a full-lot purchase (140 kg) from an established relationship, offering decaf drinkers genuine origin complexity without compromise.

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Colombia Raquel Lasso, Washed Gesha (Aug 20th Roast)

Raquel Lasso and her husband Carlos have managed Finca La Bohemia in Nariño's Buenos Aires for nearly 30 years, farming Geisha at 2,200 masl in steep terrain where warm valley air enables exceptional altitude cultivation. Their meticulous washed process includes selective cherry harvesting, same-day depulping, and controlled fermentation in airtight tanks (60–72 hours, tracked by pH and Brix) before 22–30 days of sun-drying. The rare Geisha variety delivers the floral, jasmine, and stone fruit notes it's famed for—Raquel's lot took first place at the 2022 Cup of Excellence. This is Subtext's second purchase from the farm, scoring 88.

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Copa de Oro | Colombia Francy Burbano, Washed Pink Bourbon

Francy Burbano's Finca Buenavista, located in El Tabor, San Agustín, Huila at 1,800 masl, produced this Pink Bourbon that earned her a top-15 finish at the 2025 Copa de Oro Competition—her first year as a finalist despite being renowned for this variety. Pink Bourbon, genetically confirmed as an Ethiopian landrace, ripens to distinctively pink cherries and delivers equally unique flavor characteristics increasingly sought by specialty producers across Huila. Washed processing preserves the variety's signature complexity. Subtext purchased the entire 140 kg lot, scoring it 87.5.

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Copa de Oro | Colombia Juan Jimenez Peña, Washed Pink Bourbon

Jose Bolaños's Finca Villa Sofia in San Agustin, Huila, Colombia (1,780 masl) won first place in the Southern Division of the 2025 Copa de Oro competition with this Geisha-forward field blend of Geisha, Pink Bourbon, and Sidra. The washed coffee underwent a double fermentation—60 hours of intact cherry fermentation followed by 40 hours of dry fermentation post-depulping—then dried 15–20 days in a parabolic greenhouse dryer. The result is a complex cup built on the Geisha variety's famed floral and jasmine notes, lifted by Sidra's deep sweetness and acidity and Pink Bourbon's elegant balance. Huila's exceptional terroir diversity and elevation make it Colombia's premier coffee region, and this lot demonstrates why the specialty focus on high-altitude, genetically distinct varieties is paying dividends.

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Ethiopia Chelbesa Danche, Yellow Honey Washed Kurume & Wolisho

From the Chelbesa Danche station in Gedeb, Gedeo—one of Ethiopia's premier coffee-growing districts—this lot represents about 800 smallholder producers delivering cherry to SNAP's meticulously managed facility. The Kurume and Wolisho varieties were specifically bred by JARC to resist Coffee Berry Disease, a practical choice that doesn't compromise quality. Yellow honey processing means cherries are de-pulped, fermented in tanks for 2 days, then dried on raised beds for 10–14 days with daily movement, concentrating sweetness and body. Subtext's cupping score of 86.75 reflects a clean, balanced profile typical of well-executed honey processing at elevation. This is a direct-relationship coffee from a roaster with three years of partnership history via Quest importer.

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Ethiopia Karamo Adara Espresso, Washed Walega

Karamo Adara station in Bensa, Sidama sits at 2,300 meters elevation, where approximately 1,500 smallholders cultivate Walega (JARC 74158), a disease-resistant variety selected in the 1970s. The coffee is wet fermented 36–72 hours, then dried on African beds for 12–15 days under managed sunlight. This altitude and processing regimen produce remarkably dense beans with concentrated flavor and smaller screen sizes. The station's excellence is proven: it earned Cup of Excellence awards three years running (2020–2022). Subtext's fourth year sourcing here yields a cupped score of 86.5.

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Ethiopia Mullugeta Muntasha, Natural Walega

This coffee comes from Mullugeta Muntasha's Arbegona station in the Sidama zone, supplied by 600 smallholder outgrowers at 2,230 meters altitude. The Walega variety—a CBD-resistant selection from the 1970s—thrives in Arbegona's favorable micro-climate and is a dominant choice in the region. Natural processing emphasizes the variety's inherent character and complexity. Mullugeta's rapid rise as a producer (opening his first station in 2021, scoring multiple Cup of Excellence lots by 2022) signals quality and ambition; this lot represents consistent work with an importer building a real relationship with the farm.

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Guatemala Tony Medina Espresso, Washed Caturra

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Honduras Alex Aguilar, Washed Field Blend

Alex Aguilar's Finca Los Angeles sits at 1,545 masl in the Santa Barbara region of Honduras, where cold temperatures and heavy rainfall make coffee production difficult but rewarding. A field blend of Bourbon, Pacas, and IHCAFE 90 varieties, the coffee is hand-picked for ripeness, de-pulped same-day, fermented 12–18 hours, washed, and dried on African beds. The result scored 86.5 at cupping—a testament to the family's careful selection and processing discipline. This is Subtext's second year sourcing from Alex's farm, and the producer's multi-generational commitment to quality shines through in every step.

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Honduras Heber Ávila, Washed Sidra

This washed Sidra comes from Finca Las Moras in Guajiquiro, La Paz, Honduras—the country's most developed specialty coffee region—at 1,600–1,800 meters elevation. Producer Heber Ávila, a third-generation farmer, hand-picks cherries and ferments them in concrete tanks for 10–12 hours before washing and drying on raised beds over two weeks. Sidra, an Ethiopian landrace variety classified by World Coffee Research, is prized for its floral aromatics, deep sweetness, and bright acidity. Subtext purchased the entire 210 kg lot on its first year working with Heber, scoring it 87 points—a testament to the care taken in both farming and processing.

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Kenya Kivanga AA, Washed SL28 & SL34

Kivanga Estate in Embu County, Kenya operates at 1,750 masl on the Eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, where higher Indian Ocean rainfall creates a distinct growing environment. Morris Njagi's 7.5-hectare farm manages its own washing station and specializes in SL28 and SL34 selections—increasingly uncommon as Kenyan farmers shift toward disease-resistant hybrids. Hand-picked at peak ripeness, the coffee is sorted, floated, pulped, fermented in open tanks, and thoroughly washed before drying on raised beds for 14–21 days with consistent rotation and hand-sorting. SL28's legendary potential for high-quality, complex expression shines through in this washed preparation, offering the clarity and balance that makes this variety worth seeking despite its disease susceptibility.

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Mexico San Francisco Ozolotepec Espresso, Washed Typica

San Francisco Ozolotepec sits in Oaxaca's Sierra Sur, a remote region between Chiapas and Veracruz where dozens of Zapotec-speaking smallholders cultivate old-stock, low-yield Typica on forested plots using passively organic, traditional methods—no chemical fertilization or heavy pruning. Washed processing highlights the coffee's inherent complexity. The cup shows layered sweetness and fruit expression, a result of high-altitude (1,800 masl) terroir and heritage varietals that thrive when farming practices respect the land. Oaxacan coffees remain less modernized than their regional neighbors, making this lot a distinctive window into Mexico's traditional coffee culture.

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Peru Lenin Flores, Washed Yellow Caturra