July 2026: Podium Platinum. Kissing Rock Coffee
Country: Colombia
Varietals: Castillo & Caturra
Process: Natural (48 hours) + anaerobic yeast and co-ferment (5 days)
Producer: Co-op producers from Tolima, Colombia
Elevation: 1,750 MASL
Tasting Notes: Red Grape, Brown Sugar, Pecan
Your coffee:
Forest Coffee was founded in 2019 by siblings Elias and Shady Bayter, alongside their mother, Martha Montenegro, former avocado farmers who turned to coffee with a mission to close the gap between producers and roasters. What began as a single experiment has grown into a network of 250 coffee-growing families across four major projects in Colombia, supported by a team of 25 and a global community of roasting partners.
This lot comes from co-op producers in Tolima, grown at 1,750 meters above sea level from Castillo and Caturra varietals, workhorse Colombian cultivars prized for their balance of yield and cup quality. True to Forest Coffee's experimental streak, the cherries undergo a 48-hour natural fermentation before moving into a five-day anaerobic yeast co-ferment, a layered process designed to build complexity and unlock vivid, unconventional flavor.
It's a coffee that reflects exactly what the Bayter family set out to do: treat processing as a craft worth pushing forward, not a fixed step in the chain. Expect a vibrant, expressive cup; bold, fruit-forward, and built for drinkers who want their coffee to surprise them.
Your roaster:
From Oregon's rugged southern coast, Kissing Rock Coffee is built on intention: small batches, air-roasted precision, and ethically sourced beans. Founded in 2020 by husband-and-wife team Andrew and Christine Houghtaling, the roastery grew from years of coffee farming and hands-on craft into one of the most exciting names in American specialty coffee, culminating in a brick-and-mortar café in Gold Beach in 2024.
What sets Kissing Rock apart is its fluid-bed air roasting method, which draws out sweetness and clarity without the bitterness of over-roasting. As farmers themselves, the Houghtalings bring a rare start-to-finish perspective; sourcing, roasting, and serving with equal care.
That craft has earned serious recognition: 16 medals across four categories at Golden Bean The Americas, including Gold for their signature Dancing Goat roast, followed by an invitation to the 2026 Golden Bean World Series in Newcastle, Australia. There, Kissing Rock took home 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, and was named Runner-Up for Overall World Roasting Champion.
Coastal, craft-driven, and quietly relentless, Kissing Rock Coffee is a small roastery with world-stage results, and a story still just beginning.
