Colombia Oscar Medina
Monserrate is one of those places that surprises you. Not a town so much as a community, a single paved road running along a ridge in Colombia's Cordillera Central, in the Huila department in the southwestern part of the country. The farms are small, the terrain is steep, and everyone lives along that one paved road. This is where Oscar Medina has lived and farmed most of his life. He grew up in coffee, like a lot of folks in this region did. What sets Oscar apart isn't where he started. It's what he's decided to do with it.
Finca Los Altares is 2.5 productive hectares, sitting at 1,696 meters close enough to a river that the water access shapes how the farm is laid out. Oscar runs the farm with his mother, Omaira Quintero. The two of them grow coffee and plantains together. The plantains give shade to younger coffee plants in a small-scale intercrop that's common in Huila but takes real attention to manage well. Annual yield is around 4,750 kilograms of dried parchment, which is modest on purpose. At that scale, Oscar can sort cherries carefully, separate lots, and process on his own terms.
The story of this coffee begins a few years back. Oscar joined Proagromil, a cooperative of about 90 producers in Monserrate pushing for better quality and better access to specialty markets. That decision changed how he farmed. He built a dedicated drying station on the farm so he wouldn't have to share space with other producers. He built a proper processing area. He built a composting system so the pulp and mucilage cycle back into soil health instead of becoming waste. None of that work is glamorous, but it's the kind of work that separates a good lot from a great one. This lot took first place in the annual Lo Mejor de Monserrate competition. The recognition is well deserved, and all that work shows up in the cup.
What you'll taste is bear claw pastry, caramel, and apricot. The body is silky and structured. The acidity is tame and measured, the kind that really rounds out a cup. Sweet, quiet, and confident, which feels like a fair reflection of the person who grew it.
Producer: Oscar Medina, Finca Los Altares
Region: Monserrate, Huila, Colombia
Altitude: 1,696 MASL
Variety: Variedad Colombia
Processing Method: Washed
Tasting Notes
Bear Claw Pastry, Caramel, and Apricot
Roast Level
Light
Body
Silky & Structured
Acidity
Tame & Measured
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CUPS PER BAG SIZE
Freshness Tip: Choose the size that you'll drink within 3 to 4 weeks
12 ounces
~18 cups
5 pounds
~121 cups
Frequently Asked Questions
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Your coffee ships fresh. We roast throughout the week and pack orders as they come in to ensure you're getting beans at their peak.
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We offer four grind options to match how you're brewing:
- Drip / Pour-Over — Works for automatic drip machines, pour-over brewers (V60, Kalita, Chemex), and AeroPress. This is the most versatile grind and covers most home brewing methods.
- Fine (Espresso) — Ground specifically for espresso machines. It's very fine, which means it'll over-extract and taste bitter or chalky if you use it in drip or pour-over methods. Only use this if you're pulling shots.
- French Press — Coarser grind for traditional French Press brewing, cold brew, or large-batch Chemex (60+ grams of coffee). The larger grind size prevents over-extraction during longer steep times.
- Cold Brew — Coarse grind optimized for cold brew methods with extended steeping (12-24 hours). Similar to French Press but dialed in for cold water extraction.
Not sure? Drip / Pour-Over is your safest bet if you're brewing with anything other than an espresso machine or doing cold brew.
- Drip / Pour-Over — Works for automatic drip machines, pour-over brewers (V60, Kalita, Chemex), and AeroPress. This is the most versatile grind and covers most home brewing methods.
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Coffee brewing sits somewhere between science and personal preference. There's no single "right" way, just the way that works for you.
We've put together brew guides for:- Chemex
- Kalita Wave 185
- French Press
- Auto-Drip Brewer
- Cold Brew
- Single-Serve
Visit our brewing page here.
Each guide covers ratios, grind size, and timing. These technical foundations help you dial in your perfect coffee. From there, it's yours to adjust. A little more coffee for boldness, a slightly coarser grind for clarity, water temperature shifts for sweetness or brightness. The variables matter, but so does what you actually enjoy drinking.
Start with a guide that matches your equipment, brew a few rounds, and notice what changes when you tweak one thing at a time. That's how you find your version.
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We offer signature and single-origin coffees that range from light to dark roast, each crafted to highlight different flavor profiles and brewing methods.
- 12South — Our most versatile medium roast. Works beautifully as drip, cold brew, or espresso.
- Brunch — A vibrant light roast breakfast blend. Perfect for pour-over or drip.
- Brute — Bold, creamy, and comforting. A darker roast best brewed in a French press.
- Howler — Our espresso blend. Medium roast that shines in milk drinks but stands strong on its own.
- Eventide Decaf — Full-bodied, dark-roasted decaf. Naturally processed using a chemical-free method. Perfect for evenings.
- Midshift Half Caff — Half the caffeine, full flavor. Balanced medium roast that works any time of day.
- Frothy Cold Brew — Developed for cold extraction but versatile across methods. Naturally sweet.
- Single-Origin Coffees - Our rotating selection showcases beans from specific farms and regions. Selections change seasonally based on harvest and availability.
- 12South — Our most versatile medium roast. Works beautifully as drip, cold brew, or espresso.