There was a time when coffee producers were artisans, before mass production and consumption latched onto the industry and stalled all forward progress. The changes in coffee now moving it alongside wine and whiskey are really correcting back to where coffee should be if this interruption of commoditization didn't occur. At el Mirador, with Elkin Guzeman, I see a glimpse of the future of coffee and a hint at the past that should have been. Elkin has become a new type of coffee producer, focusing on mastering the process of fermentation. His garden of exotic varieties is matched and exceeded by the barrels and tanks filled with bubbling liquid and cherries in different stages of fermentation. The anaerobic natural process puts cherries in a sealed oxygen-free environment for a pre-fermentation that results in elevated Lactic Acid. This is similar to a Lactose beer and produces smooth, balanced textures and a watermelon like flavor.