What is the XO Processing Method Used by the 2018 WBC Champion? | Introduction to XO Coffee Processing Method

At the WBC coffee competition, the processing method behind the coffee used by runner-up Lex Wenneker caught FrontStreet Coffee's attention. The beans he competed with came from Colombia's Granja La Esperanza, Finca Cerro Azul, a Geisha processed with the XO method.

Beans from Granja La Esperanza's Finca Cerro Azul can be considered classic works of Geisha. Their name comes up at competitions year after year, so it is hard not to know them, and this time the farm has once again innovated in how it processes its coffee.

The XO processing method does not involve adding any XO during processing, nor does it involve aging the coffee for years before exporting it for roasting.

As for whether the method named XO relies on anaerobic or low-oxygen fermentation, the answer is no.

The estate explained that the XO processing method still leans toward traditional natural processing. Before the cherries are sun-dried on raised beds, they rest at low temperature (25°C) for 48 hours. The key seems to be temperature control during this extended fermentation. Temperature control is equally important in the drying stage that follows, staying below 42°C throughout.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Coffee like Finca Cerro Azul's XO Geisha shows how much a carefully controlled natural process can reshape a Geisha, and it is worth tasting alongside the benchmark Geishas to hear the difference. FrontStreet Coffee's Emerald Manor Red Label Geisha (Esmeralda Special), grown at 1,600–1,800 m with every lot cupping above 90 points, is the reference point for the clean, layered varietal character that experimental lots like XO build on. For the natural-process side of the same story, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Genlana Gesha is hand-picked and dried on raised beds for 14–20 days, then roasted medium-light to bring out citrus acidity, ginger-flower aroma, and ripe-fruit sweetness. If you want an approachable way to explore Geisha blends, FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy pairs a Costa Rican honey process with Panama Geisha for fine florals and sweet fruit, and works for pour-over, moka pot, or cold brew.