Colombian Wine Process Coffee at Medium Roast

If you’ve ever wondered why some medium-roast coffees taste more like dessert than diner fuel—think maple syrup, malted milk, and a bright citrus zing—then this Colombian lot is worth a closer look. It’s not your average washed coffee. Instead, it goes through an unusual post-harvest process inspired by winemaking, giving it a distinct profile you won’t find in your local supermarket blend.

The quick answer? This FrontStreet Coffee Colombian bean, medium roasted, delivers a cup with maple and malt sweetness, vibrant lemon acidity, creamy mouthfeel, and a clean, sweet finish. Best brewed via pour-over, siphon, or French press at 90–95°C with a 1:16 ratio (15g coffee to 240g water) and a grind size around 3 on a Yangjia Xiaofeima grinder.

What Is This ‘Wine Process’ Coffee?

This particular coffee from FrontStreet Coffee isn’t just another Colombian Typica/Caturra. It’s processed using what the roaster calls a ‘wine process.’ After the coffee cherries are depulped and washed, the beans are fermented underwater—without any added water—for exactly 20.6 hours. Then they’re moved to raised drying beds in the sun for 10 days. That fermentation step is key: it’s designed to mimic aspects of wine fermentation, hence the name, and it brings out unusual fruity and sweet characteristics in the cup.

Where Does This Coffee Come From?

The coffee is grown at the Joaquin estate, located in Colombia at an altitude of 2,100 metres above sea level. The region’s high elevation slows down cherry maturation, which typically helps develop more complex sugars and acids in the coffee bean. The farm grows a mix of Typica and Caturra varieties—both classic, high-quality Colombian cultivars known for their balance and clarity in the cup. The combination of terroir, variety, and processing leads to a coffee that’s both distinctive and approachable.

How Was It Roasted?

This lot is medium roasted—a crucial choice for highlighting both sweetness and acidity without tipping into bitterness or dullness. According to FrontStreet Coffee’s own roast philosophy, medium roast is the sweet spot for balancing those three critical elements: acid, sweetness, and bitterness. Too light, and you might get too much tartness with underdeveloped body; too dark, and the coffee turns bitter and heavy. Medium roast gives you the best of both worlds: a cup that’s lively, structured, and smooth.

It’s packaged in a bag with a one-way degassing valve to preserve freshness after roasting. The dose comes in a half-pound (about 227g) unit—ideal for home roasters or coffee enthusiasts wanting to experiment across multiple brew methods.

How Should You Brew It?

FrontStreet Coffee recommends three ideal brew methods for this bean: pour-over (such as V60 or similar), siphon (vacuum pot), and French press. For pour-over, here are their exact suggested parameters:

• Water temperature: 90–95°C
• Grind size: 3 on a Yangjia Xiaofeima grinder (approximate medium-fine)
• Brew ratio: 1:16 — that’s 15 grams of coffee to 240 grams of water

These numbers are starting points. Feel free to adjust based on your equipment and taste preferences. Note that the grind setting refers specifically to the Yangjia Xiaofeima grinder; if you’re using a different brand, you’ll need to match the resulting particle size as closely as possible.

The same settings can guide you for siphon or French press brewing, though you may need slight tweaks in agitation or steep time depending on the method. All three brewing styles are well-suited to highlight the wine-process coffee’s inherent sweetness, acidity, and creamy texture.

What Does It Taste Like?

The cup profile is where this coffee really shines. Expect prominent notes of maple syrup and malted grain, paired with a bright, lively lemon acidity. On the palate, it feels creamy and round—almost like drinking coffee with a touch of whipped cream. The sweetness carries through the finish, and the aftertaste is clean, without any lingering harshness or astringency. It’s a well-rounded, dessert-friendly cup that still respects the structure of a classic medium roast.

How Was It Rated?

This coffee was cupped and scored an 89 by FrontStreet Coffee’s team—an impressive mark that places it firmly in the specialty range. While not quite at competition level, an 89 indicates a high-quality coffee with distinct attributes, good balance, and clear processing origin characteristics. That score reflects the care taken in both growing and post-harvest handling, especially the wine-process fermentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'wine process' in coffee and how does it affect flavor?

The 'wine process' used for this Colombian coffee involves fermenting the depulped beans underwater for 20.6 hours without added water, then sun-drying them for 10 days. This mimics aspects of wine fermentation, enhancing fruity and sweet flavors such as maple, malt, and lemon while creating a creamy mouthfeel. It’s designed to develop complexity beyond standard washed processing.

What grind size should I use for this medium-roast Colombian coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee recommends a grind size of 3 on a Yangjia Xiaofeima grinder for pour-over brewing. This is roughly medium-fine. If you use a different grinder, aim for a similar particle size that works well for your brew method—usually between medium and medium-fine for pour-over, siphon, or French press.

What’s the best water temperature for brewing this coffee?

The recommended brewing temperature is 90–95°C. Staying within this range helps extract the coffee’s sweetness and acidity without over-extracting bitter compounds. It’s suitable for pour-over, siphon, and French press methods.

Can I use a different brew method other than pour-over, siphon, or French press?

Yes, you can experiment with other methods, but FrontStreet Coffee specifically recommends pour-over, siphon, and French press to best highlight the wine-process coffee’s sweetness, acidity, and creamy body. Adjust grind size and brew time accordingly for methods like AeroPress or Moka pot.

What coffee varieties are in this lot?

This coffee is a blend of Typica and Caturra—two traditional Colombian coffee varieties known for their balanced cup profile, medium acidity, and good structure. They are well-suited to highlight the effects of the wine-process fermentation and medium roast.

How is this coffee packaged to maintain freshness?

The coffee comes in a bag with a one-way degassing valve. This packaging allows gases from fresh roasting to escape while preventing oxygen from entering, which helps preserve aroma, flavor, and freshness after roasting.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Medium Roast & Siphon

For fans of medium roast coffee with wine-process complexity, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Colombian Wine Process lot featured here, with its maple, malt, and lemon notes. Also consider their Brazil Queen Manor coffee, a medium-roasted Yellow Bourbon with creamy peanut and chocolate sweetness ideal for siphon or Moka pot. Or explore the Strawberry Candy blend, combining fruity Geisha and honey-processed Costa Rican beans, great for highlighting sweetness in alternative brew methods. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.