Sidra Natural Anaerobic

Ecuador | Vinka Farm | Carlos & Maria Fernanda | 2024 Sidra Natural Anaerobic

Sidra is a newer high-end varietal, believed to be a hybrid of Bourbon and Typica, developed in Ecuador. It combines floral and fruity cup characteristics with a creamy mouthfeel and long finish. It’s gaining popularity among experimental farms and barista competitions for its distinctive profile.

The Natural Anaerobic process combines traditional natural drying with controlled, oxygen-free fermentation to create a bold and complex cup. Ripe coffee cherries are first sealed in airtight tanks or barrels, where they ferment without oxygen (anaerobically) for a set period—often several days. This environment encourages specific microbial activity, leading to the development of unique flavour compounds.

After fermentation, the cherries are dried whole on raised beds or patios, allowing sugars and flavours to concentrate as the fruit dries around the seed. The result is a coffee with intense fruitiness, jammy sweetness, and rich body—often featuring tropical, boozy, or fermented notes with a distinct depth and complexity not found in traditional naturals.

For our exotic coffee, we store all the green beans frozen at -22°C in commercial freezers. This locks in freshness, halting enzymatic reactions that degrade flavor. Upon arrival we separate into small 2-3kg vacuum-sealed lots and freeze so that our greens do not age and we can sell these exotic coffees for years to come or until sold out.

This is a more accurate reflection of the actual roast colour than external as it's measured after grinding. Internal Agtron reveals how far into the bean the roast has penetrated. Our filter roasts often score over 100, preserving acidity, florals, and the unique vibrant characteristics of each origin and process. Please bear in mind that grind coarseness can affect the internal colour readings, so it is impossible to compare from roaster to roaster using this colour reading.

This refers to the surface colour of the whole roasted bean, but it's not always a reliable indicator of roast level. Some of our most vibrant and lightly roasted coffees, like our Ecuadorian Sidra, may appear medium-dark (Agtron 50–60) due to their surface colour, yet are in fact light roasts with minimal development time. Surface colour can be affected by the original green colour, bean type, density, and moisture — so don't judge a bean by its exterior.

The Agtron spread is the difference between the colour of whole beans and ground coffee, showing how deeply the coffee is developed. A spread of 0–10 usually indicates very dark, oily roasts typical of Italian-style, which we don't offer at our Roastery. Spreads between 11–20 and 21–30 represent the roast levels you'll find in our espresso coffees, balancing sweetness, acidity, and body. Spreads above 30 make up most of our filter coffee range, featuring very light, bright roasts that highlight fruity, floral, and complex flavours. Within this, spreads from 31–40 offer clarity and vibrancy, while spreads of 40–50 showcase ultra-light roasts with delicate acidity and nuanced character.

Ecuador | Vinka Farm | Carlos & Maria Fernanda | 2024 Sidra Natural Anaerobic - When is peak flavour?

This is our first directly sourced coffee — grown, processed, and shipped by Maria and Carlos from Vinka Farm in Loja, Ecuador.

We’ve secured four distinct lots of their Sidra varietal, each processed differently: Natural Anaerobic, Natural Oxidation, Honey, and Lactic Honey. Same cherries, different methods — and six unique cup profiles that show just how much processing changes flavour.

Vinka Coffee is grown by Maria Fernanda and Carlos, two university researchers turned passionate specialty coffee farmers. Their farm, nestled in the highlands of Loja, Ecuador, embodies a commitment to biodiversity, sustainability, and precision processing.

Each micro-lot is carefully hand-harvested at peak ripeness, with cherries measured at 25° Brix. These cherries undergo innovative processes—ranging from anaerobic natural fermentation to lactic fermentation—to unlock diverse flavour profiles.

The Sidra varietal is a unique Ethiopian landrace, not a hybrid, making it a pure genetic descendant from Ethiopia's rich coffee heritage. Brought to Ecuador through a research initiative, it combines exceptional cup quality with the potential for high productivity.

Sidra has gained international recognition for its complex sensory profile, often described as floral and fruity, with hints of blueberry, lime, honey, and blackberries. It also features a distinct menthol note, rarely found in other coffees, which sets it apart and attracts specialty coffee buyers worldwide.

With its growing acclaim, Sidra is poised to become a flagship coffee variety, rivalling the reputation of Gesha, and positioning Ecuador as a producer of some of the world’s most exquisite coffees.