Formative Coffee

Pink Starburst

£24.50
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In stock

In stock

In stock

In stock

In stock

In stock

In stock

All About The Coffee

Tasting Notes Red Fruit, Confectionery Sweetness, Almond, Floral
Processing Anaerobic Natural (Multi-Stage)
Elevation High Altitude, Pitalito
About the Beans
Origin
Pitalito, Huila, Colombia
Varietal
Ombligon
Process
Anaerobic Natural (Multi-Stage)
Elevation
High Altitude, Pitalito
Tasting Notes
Red Fruit, Confectionery Sweetness, Almond, Floral

This is the coffee Daria Bila used for her milk course to win the 2026 UK Barista Championship — she will go on to represent the UK at the World Barista Championship. An intensely fruit-driven Ombligon from Finca El Diviso, built around a highly controlled multi-stage natural process including controlled oxidation, thermal shock, and anaerobic yeast fermentation. Expect vibrant red fruit, confectionery sweetness, almond richness, and subtle floral and spice accents. Bright acidity balanced by density and silky texture. A coffee for experienced drinkers and adventurous brewers.

About the Producer

Produced by brothers Nestor and Adrian Lasso at Finca El Diviso in Pitalito, Huila — a farm with multiple appearances on the World Barista Championship stage, including winning performances in 2022 and 2024. Spanning 18 hectares and cultivating rare varieties including Ombligon, Geisha, Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Sidra, El Diviso is one of the most influential specialty coffee farms in Colombia. Cherries are selectively harvested, oxidised in open tanks for 48 hours, given a thermal shock rinse, then undergo 38-48 hours of anaerobic fermentation with added yeast before slow drying in marquesinas for 15 days.

About the Roaster — Formative Coffee, London

Formative Coffee is a London-based specialty roastery founded by champion barista Ian Kissick. Built on the belief that exceptional coffee should be approachable and thought-provoking, Formative focuses on clarity of flavour, precise roasting, and coffees that reward curiosity — from everyday benchmark drinks to competition-level lots.

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More About Pink Starburst

It's one of the most advanced and labour-intensive processing methods in specialty coffee — and it shows in the cup.

Natural processing means the coffee cherries are dried whole with the fruit still intact, which naturally adds sweetness, body and intense fruit character. Anaerobic means the cherries are sealed in oxygen-free tanks at key stages, creating a controlled fermentation environment that builds complexity without going funky.

The multi-stage part is what makes this lot particularly special. Rather than a single fermentation, the coffee goes through several carefully controlled phases — including controlled oxidation, a thermal shock rinse, and anaerobic fermentation with added brewer's yeast — before being slowly dried over 15 days. Each stage is monitored and intentional, layering flavour on top of flavour while maintaining clarity and structure.

The result is a coffee that is intensely expressive and fruit-driven, but precise and clean rather than overwhelming. It takes real expertise to get right, which is why coffees processed this way are relatively rare and often exceptional.

Filter, V60, Clever Dripper, Aeropress

Yes it is.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2–3 days. Once shipped, standard delivery typically takes a further 2–3 days.