Center Coffee Pepe Collab Release

Orders ship with a limited edition hologram card of BQ and the Jijons! 

From my friend Sang Ho Park (2013 UK Brewers Cup Champion), Center Coffee (Seoul, Korea) and Pepe and Jose Jijon are two beautiful expressions of Ecuadorian coffee. I am happy to be collaborating with Center and Sang Ho as my first ever Korean roaster release. I'm also happy to be featuring my favorite expression of Pepe's coffees, the Wave Washed Sidra (although the Typica Mejorado is also perfect for you mejo enjoyers)! 

These are part of Center's new Flux lineup which feature incredible coffees like these. Each coffee comes with a holographic card. Coffee Details Below From Center Coffee.

Ecuador Finca Soledad Sidra Wave Washed

Notes: Tangerine, Lily, Green Grape

• Farmer: Pepe Jijon

• Farm: Finca Soledad

• Country: Ecuador

• Altitude: 1,550m

• Region: Intag Valley, Imbabura Province

• Variety: Sidra

• Process: Wave Washed

Notes.

• Acidity: 3.5 / 5

• Sweetness: 4 / 5

• Body: 3 / 5

• Balance: 4 / 5

• Aroma: 4 / 5

• Clean cup: 4.5 / 5

A balanced sweetness and acidity, reminiscent of tangerine, strike a perfect harmony. This is followed by a soft, elegant aroma that adds layers of complexity. As it cools, the lingering, white grape-like sweetness after swallowing leaves a memorable impression.

COFFEE STORY

Pepe Jijon: The Man Who Solo-Climbed Everest.

In the early 2000s, Pepe summited the highest peaks of the seven continents entirely alone. Conquering Mount Everest as his seventh and final peak, he completed this monumental journey as both a tribute to the sheer power of nature and a dedication to his homeland, Ecuador. He is widely revered as the first South American to achieve this historic feat.

Today, and for the past 15 years, Pepe has been walking a different path toward a similar peak. This new stage is set at the renowned Finca Soledad, nestled in the remote Intag Valley of the northern Imbabura province.

Here, every ounce of intention and energy is focused on a single pursuit: cultivating the purest expression of terroir and rare coffee varieties. He grows Typica Mejorado and Sidra—both native to Ecuador—as well as Geisha, perfectly adapted to the local environment.

This is all achieved with the utmost respect for nature, ensuring that those who dedicate themselves to the cultivation and processing are fairly and rightfully compensated.

PROCESS

Pepe’s philosophical approach to coffee cultivation and processing stems from a deep, personal reverence and understanding of nature’s silent language.

This connection led him to a singular realization: the most exquisite, terroir-driven qualities of a rare variety are fully revealed only when post-harvest variables—such as temperature, time, and pressure—are delicately orchestrated in harmony with the given weather conditions.

Guided by Pepe’s meticulous processing philosophy, this Wave Washed lot features Sidra cherries hand-harvested at a perfect 22 Brix. To preserve the cherry’s inherent composition in its purest, original state, they were hand-washed and sorted without submersion, entering the multi-stage fermentation process with their naturally occurring microbes entirely intact.

The cherries first underwent a 40-hour primary whole-cherry fermentation, followed by dry-depulping. Next, a 72-hour mucilage fermentation stage was executed.

After a quick rinse, the coffee was transferred to a dark room for a slow, intermittent drying process spanning 30 days.

Enjoy your Finca Soledad Sidra, Center Coffee.

Ecuador Fincas del Putushio Typica Mejorado Washed

Notes: Peach, White Florals, Pear

• Farmer: Jose Jijon, Pepe Jijon & Francisco Vintimilla

• Farm: Fincas del Putushio

• Country: Ecuador

• Altitude: 2,222m

• Region: Loja

• Variety: Typica Mejorado

• Process: Washed

Notes.

• Acidity: 3.5 / 5

• Sweetness: 4 / 5

• Body: 3 / 5

• Balance: 4 / 5

• Aroma: 4 / 5

• Clean cup: 4.5 / 5

From the very first sip, an elegant and bright aroma reminiscent of white flowers gently unfolds. This is followed by a burst of sweet, juicy peach flavors that coat the palate, leading into a long, lingering finish of sweet pear.

COFFEE STORY

For the debut of our first Flux, this was the one farm I was determined to introduce.

Pepe Jijon—with his uncompromising quality, mindful farming practices, and an ever-positive spirit rooted in gratitude for nature—is a profound source of inspiration to me. Naturally, his farm, Finca Soledad, is a place born of that same inspiration.

His son Jose has dedicated much of his life to learning and working at Soledad. Now, Jose’s farm, San Pedro, joins forces with Francisco’s farm to form Fincas Del Putushio.

They operate as a dynamic duo of sister farms, through which the Jijon family is driving the next evolution of coffee agriculture. Given the micro-scale of the farms and their highly limited yields, having the opportunity to share a portion of his coffee this year is a true privilege for which we are deeply grateful.

PROCESS

This coffee was processed using the traditional Washed method. The cherries are depulped on the day of harvest and left as dry parchment overnight.

Afterward, they are washed with fresh spring water and slowly dried over 30 days on shaded raised beds. The Mejorado variety has established itself as a gem of Ecuador.

While its name is clearly similar to Typica, 'Typica Mejorado' is actually unrelated to the Typica variety.

It has been revealed to be a variety born from a natural cross between Bourbon and Ethiopian Landrace.

Enjoy your Putushio Typica Mejorado, Center Coffee.