el recreo - colombia - washed

Ayae Maki Fredheim is originally from Japan. She moved to Norway with her husband in 2013. That is when she discovered her love for coffee and her passion for roasting started blossoming. Aya started as a barista at a café in Oslo in 2014, began roasting in 2018, and became the head roaster in 2019. She remained in that role until 2023 when her son was born. Motherhood has a certain way about empowering women to follow their dreams. Aya started her own roastery, and after months of planning, she officially launched Hibi Kaffe in November 2024.

Hibi means daily in Japanese—better coffee for your everyday moments. Basically. Aya says: "Starting this journey has been amazing, and I’m so excited to share it with others!" Equally amazing is the way that our paths crossed and that was a pure coincidence triggered by our common interest in sourdough baking, and Aya and Leif's hevet.no collection of proofing baskets.

El Recreo is a washed Colombian coffee produced by Dario Rodriguez. It offers a soft, delicate sweetness complemented by the fresh brightness of red grapefruit and a gentle black tea finish. The flavors are not intense but rather smooth and rounded, making it an easy and enjoyable cup.

at the farm: Dario was born into a coffee-growing family. He inherited both Finca El Recreo and a deep passion for coffee from his parents, who taught him the craft from a young age. He began helping on the farm in 1975 and has been dedicated to coffee ever since.

About seven years ago, Dario decided to take a new direction—focusing on specialty coffee to improve his family’s quality of life and stand out from conventional producers. Combining the knowledge passed down from his parents with what he learned about specialty practices, he has become an exceptional coffee producer.

For Dario, one of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been meeting people from around the world who visit his farm. These exchanges have allowed him to share ideas and learn from others across the coffee supply chain.

His wife, María Inés, and daughter work alongside him, managing finances and helping with hiring during the harvest season. Always looking ahead, Dario continues to experiment and refine his craft—most recently planting a new hectare of Pink Bourbon to explore new flavor possibilities and further elevate his coffee quality.

varietal: Pink Bourbon

processing: washed

altitude: 1794 masl