2025 Austin Aeropress Championship Coffee

This year Black Fox was fortunate enough to roast for the Austin leg of the 2025 American Aeropress Championship. Well, we had some coffee left over. At the roastery we made some small improvements, roasted another batch and we're happy to say we have a have been given the all clear to share it with the public.

If you would like to see what the Austin locals were working with (or perhaps begin tweaking your recipe for the 2026 competition circuit early) then here is your chance.

Pink Bourbon has become a staple of Colombia in recent years, standing out for its consistently sweet profile. This sweetness is reminiscent of what Colombians know as 'Melao,' a syrup made from melted panela and water, used to sweeten desserts. In this way, Pink Bourbon is like a dessert in a cup, full of sweetness and character.

The producers of the south of Huila contributing to ‘Melao’ start the coffee process with a selective manual picking of the ripe cherries, for which they typically hire cherry pickers. The cherries are taken to the wet mill at the farm where some producers perform an in-cherry fermentation, ranging from 24 to 36 hours, either in bags, closed bins, or in the reception container. Some producers go directly to pulping the cherries. When pulping, it has become more common to use a small quantity of water just to help with the movement, or no water at all.

For the fermentation, most producers still use traditional tiled-covered tanks, while some have started using airtight plastic bins. The fermentation can last from 24 hours up to 50 hours. Afterward, the coffee is washed one or two times and then taken to the drying area.

Regarding the drying process, some producers first dry the coffee in the shade to drain the excess water. Then, the coffee is taken to the main drying area, which is typically a covered drying space. In total, it takes from 15 to 25 days for the coffee to achieve its ideal level of moisture. After this, the producers gather the coffee and store it in a storage place in the house for one to two weeks. 

This coffee is light and bright upfront but finishes with lingering panela sweetness. The winning coffees from the competition were balanced and comforting as the Aeropress will bring out juicier acidity and more texture in the cup. Brewed as a pourover we would expect it to be more tea-like and herbaceous.

Roast Date → 10/14

Producer → Local Smallholders
Lot Name → Melao
Location → Huila, Colombia
Altitude → 1,700–2,000 masl
Varieties → Pink Bourbon
Process → Washed