REINALDO CHILITO | COLOMBIA | washed

Super bright and sparkling. Tasting like ripe grapes, cantaloupe melon, with intense tropical sweetness.

The cherries are harvested every 3 weeks and fermented for 24 hours. They are then pulped dry with the following day's pulp and left to ferment for 24 hours in a ceramic tank. They are washed and taken to the drying room for 15-20 days.

Producer:

Don Reinaldo was born and raised in the rural village of El Purutal in San Agustín, Huila, Colombia. Like many children in the countryside at that time, his access to formal education was limited, and he left school after the second grade. Instead, he developed a deep love for farming early in life. By the age of nine, he was already helping his family with sugarcane, panela, and subsistence crops like corn, beans, and yucca. He also learned to propagate coffee the traditional “escobiado” way - using naturally germinated seeds found beneath coffee trees.

As a teenager, Reinaldo began working as a day labourer on nearby farms and, at age 14, was given a quarter hectare of family land, where he started planting his own crops. He also entered into “half-time” work arrangements, where he provided labour and others provided land. This helped him gain experience and build a path toward owning land of his own.

Eventually, one of his employers offered to sell him a small plot and with savings and a subsidy from the National Coffee Federation, Reinaldo purchased the land and planted his first 800 Caturra coffee trees. At 22, he met Doña Mariela, and they began building a life together, first living with Reinaldo’s parents and later purchasing a small piece of land from her family. There, they balanced coffee farming with growing food, especially during the early stages of new coffee plantings. In 2016 Reinaldo planted 3000 Pink Bourbon and 1500 Catimor coffee trees. This marked a turning point in his commitment to coffee quality.

Initially, Reinaldo sold his harvests to local buyers, cooperatives, and small exporters. But in recent years, seeking fairer prices and recognition for his work, he cautiously joined the Monkaaba project, delivering his first micro-lot under his own name. This moment represented more than just a sale - it was a step toward visibility, dignity, and long-term sustainability for his family and farm.

Swerl is a micro roastery inspired by the art of great coffee and connection to one another.