Alexander Vargas | Natural Pink Bourbon

Alexander Vargas Natural Pink Bourbon

Alexander Vargas, with his wife Lidia, runs Finca La Piragua in Palestina, Huila. Growing up in a coffee family, Alexander blends traditional knowledge with a passion for experimentation, producing some of Colombia’s most distinctive microlots.

Each cherry is carefully evaluated using Brix measurements to assess sugar content. The coffee undergoes a double fermentation process: first, oxidation for 72 hours, followed by anaerobic fermentation in tanks with degassing valves for 98 hours, enhancing sweetness, complexity, and layered flavors.

The farm cultivates varieties like Pink Bourbon, Geisha, Red and Striped Bourbon, as well as Caturra, Java, and Tabi. Committed to sustainability and precise post-harvest care, Alexander’s coffees have gained international recognition, including Colombia’s Cup of Excellence, reflecting his dedication, innovation, and deep connection to the land.

Producer – Alexander Vargas

Location – Acevedo, Huila, Colombia

Farm – La Piragua

Variety – Pink Bourbon

Years Used – First Year

Altitude – 1600 - 1800 MASL

Process – Natural

Cupping  Notes – Red Berries, Pineapple, Floral

Suitable For – Filter Brewing Methods

Roast Level – Light

Exporter – Equation Coffee

Importer – Opal Coffee

Disclaimer: Cupping notes are a guide based on what we tasted whilst cupping this coffee. Your experience may differ depending on brewing method.

Download a Tasting Card

About

Nestled in the lush hills of Palestina, Huila, Colombia, Alexander Vargas has transformed his family’s coffee legacy into a thriving specialty operation. From a young age, he learned the rhythms of the farm, developing an intimate understanding of the land and its coffees. Today, alongside his wife Lidia, he runs Finca La Piragua, a farm recognised for its vibrant microlots and meticulous care from cherry to cup.

The farm cultivates varieties such as Pink Bourbon, Geisha, and Red Bourbon, each handled with precision to highlight clarity, sweetness, and layered fruit character. To support this level of quality, Alexander has built an on-site coffee laboratory where he cups, analyses, and classifies his coffees. His work blends traditional knowledge with progressive techniques, including the use of anaerobic processing to enhance complexity and flavour expression.

Alexander began his coffee journey at 15, following in his parents’ footsteps, and by the age of 20 had committed fully to specialty coffee production. With over two decades of experience, he has continually refined his approach through experimentation with varieties and processing methods. This dedication has led to coffees that have achieved multiple national Cup of Excellence nominations and gained international recognition.

Sustainability and diversification are central to his philosophy. In addition to coffee, Alexander grows crops such as dragon fruit to support year-round productivity and maintain the long-term health of the farm. This holistic approach ensures both environmental care and economic resilience.

For Alexander, coffee farming is more than a profession, it is a lifelong passion shaped by persistence, curiosity, and respect for tradition. This extends beyond his own farm, as he actively shares knowledge and mentors younger producers, contributing to the strength and future of his local coffee community.

Finca La Piragua stands as a reflection of this ethos; combining heritage, innovation, and precision to produce coffees that continue to stand out within Colombia’s specialty coffee landscape.

The variety

This coffee is 100% Pink Bourbon. Until recently, it was thought that this variety was a hybrid of Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties, called “Pink” Bourbon due to its pink tinge. However, this theory has been disproven, and it is now said that Pink Bourbon is most likely to be an Ethiopian Landrace variety which was found to be growing in Colombia.

The Processing Method

Fermentation: Alexander’s curiosity and dedication sets him apart. He carefully measures the Brix level to evaluate sugar content in the fruit, then applies a double fermentation process: the first is an oxidation for 72 hours, and the second is an anaerobic fermentation in tanks with degassing valves for 98 hours. These steps are designed to enhance complexity, sweetness, and layered flavours.

Drying:  Drying shed for 20 days

Moisture Level: 10.2%

Filter Recipe

This is a good starting point for all of our Filter coffees. Adjust Accordingly to your own preference.

Ground Coffee: 20g

Brewed Weight: 320g

Contact Time: 3-3:30 mins

Water

Your brewing water can make or break whether a coffee tastes vibrant and expressive or flat and muted. Since local water supplies vary, we’ve partnered with Apax Lab to help optimise your home brewing water.

The following recipes are designed as starting points, focusing on clarity and even extraction to let the coffee’s natural acidity and sweetness shine.

For the Low-Key Approach

Base Water: Christchurch tap water

• Hardness (GH): 45ppm

• Alkalinity (KH): 52ppm

Apax Drops per 1L:

• Tonik: 10 drops

• Jamm: 5 drops

Since the alkalinity is already relatively high, Lilac is not needed, as alkalinity naturally buffers acidity. Instead, we focus on Tonik to increase hardness for improved extraction and Jamm to enhance texture, helping round out the cup.

For the Coffee Geek

Base Water: Fully distilled water (<1ppm TDS)

Apax Drops per 1L:

• Tonik: 30 drops

• Jamm: 5 drops

• Lilac: 10 drops

This recipe provides a balanced foundation that can be adjusted further depending on your taste preferences and the coffee being brewed.

If you are outside of Christchurch, we recommend using the distilled water recipe. 

Always add to the water before brewing - not the brewed coffee. 

If you need assistance or are simply curious about the Apax drops, our Head of Coffee, James, welcomes all enquiries. You can get in touch at james@coffeeembassy.co.nz.

Recommended Brewing Age

12+ days after roast date