Emerald Series: William Alba
  • C-Market at purchase time = $4.13/lb
  • Paid price for William Alba = FOT $7.75/lb

All our coffee is roasted on Mondays, and always ships out the same week: 

  • Orders before Tuesday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Tuesday.

  • Orders before Wednesday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Wednesday.

  • Orders before Friday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Friday.

  • Orders after Friday 8:00 am PST will be shipped out the following Tuesday.

  • Coffee or other perishables: Not eligible for refund.

Emerald Series: William Alba

Wilson Alba is a third-generation coffee producer who manages two farms in the municipality of Palestina, southern Huila. His main farm, Finca Sierra Morena, spans 40 hectares, 13 of which is dedicated to coffee cultivation, each hectare is planted with about 3,300 trees. Sierra Morena is planted with 22,000 Pink Bourbon trees alongside smaller amounts of Borbón Ají, Caturra Chiroso, and Gesha.

Coffee grower
William Alba Córdoba
Notes in cup
Mango, Passionfruit, Honey
Origin
Colombia, Huila, Palestina
Varietal
Pink Bourbon
Process
Washed
Quantity
Locked flat shipping rate of $6.99 (USA territory).
  • C-Market at purchase time = $4.13/lb
  • Paid price for William Alba = FOT $7.75/lb

All our coffee is roasted on Mondays, and always ships out the same week: 

  • Orders before Tuesday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Tuesday.

  • Orders before Wednesday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Wednesday.

  • Orders before Friday 8:00 am PST: Ships out on Friday.

  • Orders after Friday 8:00 am PST will be shipped out the following Tuesday.

  • Coffee or other perishables: Not eligible for refund.

Precision in motion

In the southern reaches of Huila, near the town of Palestina, Finca Sierra Morena rises gently over the hillside. Here, William Alba Córdoba, a third-generation producer, cultivates coffee with the discipline and sensitivity of someone who knows both the volatility of nature and the patience it demands.

The farm spans forty hectares, with thirteen dedicated to coffee a living mosaic of Pink Bourbon, Borbón Ají, Caturra Chiroso, and Gesha. Each hectare carries roughly 3,300 trees, their placement guided by contour and wind, allowing even light and measured drainage. The remaining land is preserved in shade and forest, ensuring the cycles of soil and water remain balanced.

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Hands and rhythm

Harvest at Sierra Morena follows a deliberate rhythm. William and his brother oversee each step, supported by a small core team of eight workers who remain year-round, joined by twenty local pickers when the cherries reach full color. The main harvest arrives with October’s dry light, followed by a smaller mitaca crop in early summer a quieter echo of the season before.

Fermentation unfolds in two measured stages: fifteen hours in sealed bags, then another fifteen in barrels after de-pulping. Once washed, the coffee is dried under parabolic greenhouses for up to fifteen days long enough to stabilize sweetness, short enough to preserve the brightness that defines Huila’s altitude.

Character:

The result is clean and luminous. Pink Bourbon expresses itself here with clarity and restraint the perfume of mango and passionfruit, balanced by a round, honeyed weight. It carries both the lightness of fruit and the structure of disciplined processing, finishing with the polished sweetness that distinguishes the region.

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F.A.Q.S

Why do you exclusively offer Colombian coffees?
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From the very beginning of The Boy & The Bear – Coffee Roastery, our mission has been to uphold a commitment to genuine and transparent coffee processes. We take pride in meticulously overseeing the journey from coffee crop to your cup to ensure we serve nothing short of the best. Our dedication extends beyond coffee; it's about sharing our rich Colombian culture with our community

At The Boy & The Bear, it's not just about the specialty Colombian coffees. It's an immersive experience that encapsulates Colombian culture, its vibrant people, spirited music, and everything that embodies the positivity and liveliness of our country. As our founder, Andres Piñeros, beautifully puts it: "The Boy & The Bear – Coffee Roastery is a magical surrealism of the Colombian coffee experience and the culture that surrounds it." We invite you to savor this enchanting journey with us.

Do you offer pre-ground for espresso?
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We don’t offer pre-ground espresso because every machine is different. It is never a "one size- fits all".

For the best results, we recommend grinding fresh to match your setup.

Perfect brewing recipe for Filter coffee
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At the Boy and the Bear, we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the industry and having a deeper understanding of coffee extraction.

Utilizing physics and data collected by ourselves and our colleagues, we have come to the conclusion that the ideal ratio for filter is 1 gram for every 17 grams (or milliliters) of water.

Our ideal beverage yield is:
10oz or 295 grams, to achieve this, we use 20 grams of coffee and 340 grams of water.

Since our coffees are a lighter development, we recommend using water in the 201° - 203°F. And remember, the better your water = the better the coffee.

For any further help or questions, email us or visit one of our cafes and ask one of our knowledgeable staff.

Happy sipping!

Perfect brewing recipe for espresso
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While espresso can be a more involved extraction, a good starting point for all of our coffees is:

1:2; 1 gram of coffee for every 2 grams (or milliliters) of water.

In the cafes, we currently use 16 grams of coffee for 34 milliliters of extracted coffee at around 30 - 32 seconds in time with ideal water quality.

Since our coffees are a slightly lighter development than most, we recommend using water around 201 - 202°F.

To trouble shoot your espresso extraction, grind your coffee finer if the espresso is sour or coarser if it is bitter to taste. To increase sweetness, increase your yield. To increase body, reduce the yield.

For any further help or questions, email us or visit one of our cafes and ask one of our knowledgeable staff.

Happy sipping!

What is the ideal resting period for brewing our coffees?
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When coffee is fresh out of the roasting process, the CO2 retention is at the highest point it could possibly be at. Within the first 4 - 7 days, coffee releases 90% CO2 and 10% nitrogen from the roasting process, making 7 - 14 days off roast the peak consumption time for filter coffee.

Espresso is slightly more forgiving and can still extract incredible flavors up until 6 weeks from the initial roast date.