Always Sunny

About the Coffee

Always Sunny is a blend built around the small, family-run farms of Huila, Colombia's top-producing region for specialty coffee by volume. The name Opita, which Thom Bargen uses to describe this coffee's identity, refers to the people of Huila. The word traces back to the independence era, when "Opa" was used as a local code in the province of Neiva to signal solidarity. Over time, Opita became a term of pride for the region's descendants. Most farms here are under a few hectares and have been passed down through families for generations.

The coffee is grown at 1,500 to 1,800 meters and planted primarily in Castillo and Cenicafé varieties, two cultivars developed specifically for Colombia's growing conditions. After harvesting, the cherries go through 36 hours of traditional fermentation before being washed and moved to parabolic dryers (raised solar tunnel dryers that protect drying coffee from rain while accelerating even drying) for 15 days. It's a straightforward washed process, but the combination of elevation, extended fermentation, and careful drying time gives the coffee a consistent, clean profile that holds up across both espresso and filter brewing.

One of the farms that contributes to Always Sunny is Los Naranjos, run by Henry and Tanya near San Agustín at around 1,900 meters. Fourteen years ago, Henry won a local raffle and used the prize, two cows, as collateral to get a bank loan for his first farm. They pick the coffee themselves with the help of family, run their own wet mill on site, and handle transport. That level of hands-on involvement in every step is rare, and it shows in the consistency of what they produce.

About Thom Bargen

Thom Bargen is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The roastery has built its sourcing around direct relationships with producers, and the roaster bio content reflects years of farm visits across Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ethiopia. Those trips aren't just sourcing trips. When Jason, Thom, and Graham visited Ratibor and Tessie Hartmann's Mi Finquita farm in Panama in November 2020, they stayed on the property for four days. That kind of access changes how you buy and roast coffee.

Always Sunny is a good example of how Thom Bargen works. Rather than sourcing from a single origin or producer, they build consistent blends from farmers they've visited and return to year over year, adjusting the components as harvests change while keeping the cup profile steady. It's roasted for both espresso and filter, so it works however you brew at home.