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Elias Roa is a renowned coffee producer from Huila, Colombia, with farms in the subregions of Pital and Acevedo. As one of the founding members and former President of Asociación Primaveral in Acevedo, he has played a key role in shaping the region’s coffee culture.

Nestled in the heart of the Macizo Colombiano, the Acevedo region boasts breathtaking landscapes. It’s common to see large rain clouds rolling over the mountains, periodically covering the farms in mist.

Coffee is a true family endeavor for Elias. His wife, Bellanid, his daughter, Derlin, and his son-in-law, Diego Campos (Colombian Barista Champion), all contribute to the farm’s operations.

Elias manages two primary farms: Finca Tamana in Pital and Finca Recuerdo in Acevedo. Both are home to a diverse selection of heirloom varieties, including those with African lineage. His processing method involves a dry fermentation of 14-16 hours, followed by multiple washes with fresh water before the coffee is carefully dried on raised beds for optimal quality.

Taste Profile: Dried stone fruit, fresh berry flavors, dried bergamot and lavender with a soft smooth mouthfeel

Here are the farm notes:

Origin: Ethiopia

Washing Station: Arsosala

Altitude (MASL): 1800-1900 MASL

Process: Washed

Arsosala is a washing station founded in 2015 that currently serves about 1,200 smallholder producers in the Uraga woreda of Guji. Coffees are picked ripe and depulped the same day, then fermented overnight before being washed clean and dried on raised beds. It typically takes the coffee 8–15 days to dry under sun and 15–20 days to dry when there are cloudy skies.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically grown on very small plots of land by farmers who also grow other crops. The majority of smallholders will deliver their coffee in cherry to a nearby washing station or central processing unit, where their coffee will be sorted, weighed, and paid for or given a receipt. Coffee is then processed, usually washed or natural, by the washing station and dried on raised beds.