Region: Mt. Elgon
Elevation : 1850 meters
Variety: SL14, SL28, SL34, Nyasaland, KP142, KP630
Process: Washed
Notes: Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Roasted Almonds, Orange Rind
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From the slopes of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda, the Sironko washing station produces coffees that showcase the balance of rich volcanic terroir and meticulous processing. The facility sits at 1,250 meters above sea level and receives cherries from farms reaching up to 1,850 meters. Sironko Coffee works with thousands of smallholder farmers who cultivate arabica coffee along the mountain’s expansive slopes. The combination of volcanic soil, high elevation, abundant sunshine, and steady rainfall creates the ideal environment for coffees with vibrant sweetness, deep fruit character, and fine cup clarity.
Uganda also holds a special place in Hyperion’s history as the destination of our very first origin trip. Coffees from this region continue to carry a deep sentimental value for us, representing the early relationships, experiences, and sense of responsibility that helped shape our approach to sourcing and roasting coffee.
At harvest, selectively hand-picked cherries are delivered to the washing station where they undergo careful sorting and density grading to identify the highest quality lots. After depulping and washing, the coffee is mechanically dried using a series of temperature-controlled drying chambers designed to preserve quality and consistency. This innovative drying approach minimizes the risk of defects often associated with traditional fermentation and sun drying while maintaining the coffee’s clean structure and crisp cup profile.
In the cup, expect comforting notes of maple brown sugar oatmeal, roasted almonds, and orange rind with balanced sweetness and a smooth, easy finish.
Producer: Omaira Mendez Herrera
Region: Huila
Farm: El Progreso
Elevation : 1800 meters
Variety: Gesha
Process: Washed
Notes: Lilac Flowers, Hibiscus, Starfruit, Bergamot
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In November 2025, we returned to Colombia with Forest Coffee to continue our involvement in the Huila Condor Project, supporting over 96 independent women coffee producers across Pitalito and Timaná, Huila. This year’s visit focused on strengthening producer education, improving quality systems, and deepening direct relationships between producers and roasters through workshops and a live auction.
Throughout the year, producers participated in training around fermentation, drying, cupping, and quality evaluation, helping them continue to push the boundaries of processing and cup quality. The project remains grounded in transparency, traceability, and fair compensation, with producers receiving well above market rates alongside direct support to the women leading these farms.
A major highlight was the Huila Condor Auction, where producers presented micro-lots showcasing innovation and the diversity of coffee in the region. We cupped dozens of coffees spanning classic washed profiles to more experimental fermentation. This year, we purchased coffees from Omaira Mendez Herrera, Claudia Visitacion Burbano, Hilda Tovar Patino, Maria Belen Diaz, and Damaris Munoz, each offering excellent expressions of processing skills and terroir.
The Condor Project continues to be more than a quality initiative. In the face of climate pressures, rising costs, and generational challenges in coffee farming, it creates real opportunity for producers to build sustainable futures through specialty coffee.
Participating in the auction firsthand was especially meaningful. Seeing producers’ pride and gratitude as their coffees achieved exceptional prices was a powerful reminder of the impact of direct relationships and transparency. These coffees represent not only quality, but also resilience, opportunity, and collaboration in specialty coffee.
Farm: El Vergel
Producers: Elias & Shady Bayter
Region: Tolima
Elevation: 1450 meters
Cultivar: Red & Yellow Caturra
Process: Washed. EA Sugarcane Decaf
Notes: Almond, Panela, Navel Orange, Clove
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El Vergel is more than a coffee, it’s the result of bold reinvention and relentless innovation. What began as an avocado farm in Tolima transformed in 2006 when the Bayter family set their sights on coffee. Drawing on their agricultural roots that date back to 1995, they planted their first coffee at El Vergel Estate in 2010 and celebrated their first successful harvest by 2015. Since then, El Vergel has become internationally recognized for experimental processing, including their groundbreaking Koji fermentations, and for building a model that puts producers, quality, and transparency first.
In 2017, facing challenges in the local market, Martha, Shady, and Elias pushed further, seeking new ways to add value and close the gap between growers and roasters. That vision became Forest Coffee in 2019, a producer-led project dedicated to innovation in processing, education, and sustainability. Today, Forest Coffee represents a thriving network of 250 coffee-growing families across Colombia, supported by multiple regional projects and a growing global community of roasters and partners.
This lot showcases that spirit of innovation through the EA sugarcane decaffeination process. After carefully managed fermentations designed to enhance sweetness and complexity, the green coffee is decaffeinated using ethyl acetate derived from sugarcane. The coffee is gently washed in water and EA within circular extraction tanks, naturally reducing caffeine to 0.1 percent while preserving flavor integrity. The result is a clean, smooth, and expressive decaf that maintains the character of the original coffee, proving that decaffeinated coffee can still be vibrant, complex, and deeply satisfying.
Station Owner/Producer: Biru Bekele
Region: Oromia
Elevation : 2100 meters
Variety: Heirloom 74158
Processing Method: Washed. Grade 1
Notes: Jasmine Green Tea, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Lilac
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This coffee comes from Ethiopia’s renowned Guji Zone, a lush region in the south that borders Sidama, West Arsi, Bale, and the famous Gedeo Zone. Guji shares many characteristics with Gedeo in both coffee production and processing, resulting in vibrant coffees with bright fruit and floral notes.
This lot is washed, a method where the cherries are carefully pulped and fermented before drying. The washed process enhances clarity and brightness, allowing the coffee’s natural flavors to shine through with a clean, crisp finish.
We’re drawn to this coffee for its soft floral aroma, rich sweetness, and refreshing finish. It’s versatile across brewing methods, but truly shines as a pour-over or drip coffee.
Station Owner/Producer: Biru Bekele
Region: Yirgacheffe
Elevation : 1904 meters
Variety: Heirloom
Processing Method: Washed
Notes: Jasmine, Georgia Peach, White Tea
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This coffee comes from Yirgacheffe, one of Ethiopia’s most historically important coffee regions and a place that has helped shape how people around the world understand Ethiopian (and specialty) coffee. Grown around 1,900 meters and produced by Biru Bekele, this lot reflects the high-elevation conditions and traditional practices that have made Yirgacheffe a benchmark for quality. Coffees from this region are known for their clarity and balance, offering a consistent expression of terroir that has defined Ethiopian coffee for generations.
This coffee is produced using the washed process, where the fruit is removed before drying. This method brings out a clean and bright cup, allowing the natural characteristics of the heirloom varieties to come through with clarity. The result is a coffee that feels light and easy to drink with a refreshing finish.
Similar to our recent Guji offering, this coffee highlights the less fruit-driven side of Ethiopian coffees. We’re drawn to it for its gentle floral notes, stone fruit sweetness, and balanced acidity. It works well across brewing methods but really stands out as a pour-over or drip coffee, where its clarity and light, refreshing qualities make for a beautiful coffee time.
A blend of our coffees from El Salvador (Maria Cristina Llach) , Honduras (Cafe Uno and Carlos Amaya), and Guatemala (Anzueto Family) that compliment each other to make an amazing espresso to be enjoyed as-is or paired with milk.
