Elias & Shady Bayter - Vergel Sidra Natural 120g

*These coffees are extremely limited and may be delayed in roasting until I have enough confirmed orders to sell. These greens have been frozen at peak freshness and I cannot risk integrity of the coffee until orders are confirmed*

The folks at Forest Coffee are coffee growers, exporters, importers, and project developers from Colombia, with their agricultural journey beginning in 1995, growing avocados.

But after a drop in price and challenges in the market, in 2010 started growing coffee at their farm with Caturra, at El Vergel Estate in Tolima. By 2015, they had successfully cultivated their first varietals. Later in 2017, after facing challenges in the local market, Martha, Shady, and Elías began searching for innovative ways to add value to their coffees and bridge the gap between producers and roasters.

Forest Coffee was born in 2019 from a vision to unlock the true potential of Colombian coffee by embracing innovation in processing, education, and sustainability. Their mission is to connect coffee growers directly with international markets, ensuring fair prices and transparency. Today, in 2026, Forest Coffee is a thriving network of 250 coffee-growing families, with four major projects across Colombia, a dedicated team of 25+, and a global community. Their journey is a testament to the power of innovation and community in transforming the coffee industry for the better.

The Sidra Natural showcases a carefully controlled natural process with carbonic maceration, designed to highlight clarity, sweetness, and structured fermentation complexity.

The process begins with freshly harvested cherries, meticulously selected at peak ripeness. The cherries are placed whole into sealed fermentation tanks and flushed with CO2 to create an oxygen-free environment, initiating a carbonic maceration fermentation lasting 72 hours. Throughout this stage, temperature and internal pressure are closely monitored to ensure a slow, even fermentation that enhances aromatic intensity while preserving varietal character.

Once fermentation is complete, the cherries are gently removed from the tanks and transferred directly to raised drying beds. Drying takes place over approximately 20 days, allowing for gradual moisture reduction and stable flavor development. During this period, the coffee is regularly turned and closely monitored to ensure uniform drying and to prevent unwanted fermentation or defects.

This deliberate combination of controlled anaerobic fermentation and extended raised-bed drying results in a coffee with pronounced fruit expression, refined sweetness, and a clean, elegant finish—capturing the unique potential of the Sidra variety.

We taste: 

Insane purple aromas, purple grape, mountain laurel, lilac all explode out of the cup. First sip is reminiscent of japanese grape gummy candy, photorealistic acidity and sweetness without cloying or fermenty flavor. A sparkling and effervescent acidity keeps the cup profile clean and dynamic. As the cup cools, grape transforms into plum, nectarine and pomegranate.

This is a truly exceptional coffee; it literally made me cry the first time I smelled the aroma of the green and then again as I sipped it for the first time.