Honduras

Producer Profile: Nelson Ramirez

Finca Chely  

Farm: Chely Owner: Nelson Ramirez Location: El Cielto, Santa Barbara Altitude: 1510-1550 Variety: Red Catuai Size of the farm (ha): 15 Average production per year: 100-120 bags Process: Washed

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

Producer Profile: David Munoz

finca-david-012.jpg

finca david 017  

Farmer: David Omar Muñoz Ulloa Farm Name: Nueva Esperanza Location: El Cielito Region: Santa Barbara Altitude (masl): 1570-1670 Farm Size (ha): 2.8 Variety: Pacas Process: Washed

David planted his farm in 2008, based on all he'd learned about the benefits of producing specialty coffee. He learned about the specialty coffee movement in Santa Barbara coffee production because of the growth of this market in the region, as well as through his work as an employee at Exportadora San Vicente, the only coffee exporter in the area. As part of his work at San Vicente, David has a hand in managing most of the production of the high quality coffees coming out of the Santa Barbara mountain ridge.

The Pacas varietal has been planted on David's farm because it is a variety he knows and likes and it is also one that has developed a good quality reputation for in the Santa Barbara area.

Background to Santa Barbara

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence.

We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers. Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high- altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

finca david 020 finca david 017

Producer Profile: Salvador Guzman

Don SalvaSalvador Guzman Location: El Cielito, Santa Barbara Altitude (masl): 1350-1450 Variety: Pacas Size of the farm (ha): 3.5 Average production per year: 10-14 bags Process: Washed

Background to Santa Barbara

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high- altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

Salvador Guzman 3

CCS at London Coffee Week

Collaborative Coffee Source 2014 NEW HARVEST presentation

After extensive sourcing travels to origins throughout the winter we have been making recent presentations of our findings to discerning coffee roasting communities in Russia, France, Germany, USA/NYC, Norway and Sweden.

Now CCS is pleased and proud to be back in London to present a representation of new coffees from our relationships - new & old - in Kenya, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil to our English roasters & friends, during London Coffee Week on Thursday, April 3.

Venues and times TBD. Please email Melanie for details and to RSVP

These cupping events are open to: Green Coffee buyers, Roasters, Cuppers, Baristas, specialty coffee community & friends

Early-Harvest Visit to Honduras, January 2014

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Yajoa Lake_Bj It has been misty, sometimes rainy and quite cold. The sky is white and Yojoa Lake has been hidden under a cottony layer of fog for days. Despite the weather, the place remains just as beautiful. Welcome to Santa Barbara.

This is how the weather usually is at this time of year, in the early days of January. However, when the sun and the heat return, when the view of Yojoa is back, it is breathtakingly beautiful in another way. That beauty is reserved for our return in April, the end of the harvest period.

I have spent the last few days visiting farms and meeting with a dozen or more farmers and friends from the villages of Las Flores, Cielito and Cedral – all from the now famous hillside of the Santa Barbara mountain – not far from the town of Peña Blanca. I have also made new acquaintances with farmers from La Paz in the South, close to the Salvadoran border.

The harvest has barely begun; some started picking coffee cherries at the end of December, but most started last week, or will start within the next few days. This means that there is little to cup, but there is always something. We were able to collect enough samples from farmers’ drying beds, storages (sometimes their living rooms) to make for an early preview of what-is-to-come.

The purpose of an early pre-harvest trip like this one is to get an understanding of how the coffee framers experienced last year’s harvest and to hear about what they think of the upcoming one. This is also a good opportunity for us to talk about our expectations, as well as give feedback about our experience with the past crop: its arrival condition and cupping notes.

I must say (and I have made sure to share our gratitude): Last years crop was—generally speaking—the best we have experienced in the 9 years we have been working in this region. In some cases, some lots were the best we have ever experienced from Honduras.

Good and challenging things have happened all at the same time in the past year, but our expectations are nonetheless big and hopeful for the upcoming crop.

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 The much-talked-about-issue: Roya

Upon my return to Santa Barbara this time, I was anxious to hear from the farmers themselves about what has been their biggest challenge in the last year, namely, the Roya fungus attack. Some farms on the hillside are looking hard hit, some look abandoned; it is not a pretty sight! That said, in working with farmers in other similar places (i.e. southern parts of Huila in Colombia) for many years, with climates not unlike the one here, we have learned to have faith in good husbandry. As Alejandro Cadena from Virmax in Colombia explains:

Think of the roya as a cold or flu. It is something that has always been around and will always be there latently. It comes and goes, it sometimes hits hard, sometimes less. The question is always and only going to be: How one is preparing for it.

The weather and other climatic conditions will always make an impact on farming. Plagues may come in cycles and sometimes attack in an epidemic fashion. The huge 2012 harvest that Santa Barbara farms experienced, the year before the 2013 Roya attack, may have made the coffee plants more vulnerable. In other words, there will always be many factors that contribute to the Roya situation.

Roya is manageable. It is not a just question of choosing the right or wrong coffee varietal, not solely. It is also not about bad luck, or about ‘God’s vengeance’. Handling Roya is, for the most part, a matter of farm management. The preferred way is always a proactive approach.

A healthy coffee tree is less susceptible to any disease, really. Good health comes from good nutrition and care: timely application of copper spray (foliage protection agent, often used in organic farming too), timely pruning, shade and wind protection, cleaning of weeds in-between the coffee trees, amongst other things.

Fortunately and not surprisingly, all the farmers we are working with in Santa Barbara have handled Roya well. All the farms I’ve visited look healthy now, but this has not been easy and it has not been cheap. The feedback from all the farmers I’ve spoken to and interviewed about this topic say the same thing: They were taken by surprise but acted upon Roya swiftly. Although many were hit, most managed to take action in time by applying copper spray, even if trees were affected. Affected trees have now either been pruned or taken out altogether. The farms look healthy again; their farmers, happy.

This may all sound easy, but it isn’t. I certainly don’t mean to oversimplify the issue. To be able to handle an unexpected attack like the one we saw last year, one must be present, proactive, and have means readily at hand, particularly financial ones. Some farmers may not have had the experience to foresee what was coming, or weren’t working closely enough with their farm to see it (literally). In these cases, one must be able to trust that the farm’s managers are on top of things.

Even if prepared, there is the matter of access to resources, or lack thereof. Fertilizers and protective sprays come with huge costs: both the products themselves as well as the cost of applying them. In today’s market, with low prices for the coffee itself, it is quite common to hold back on these ‘investments’. The irony is that without investing in the farm, one is even worse off next time around: A vicious circle. All the farmers we are working with in Santa Barbara are saying the same thing: Thanks to the (high) prices paid for their coffees last year they have been able to take better care of their farms, spend more resources on all necessary tasks and are better off than their neighbors that are not selling their coffee in the specialty market. They say that despite last year’s strong efforts in keeping up with the challenges, they are again prepared and well-fit for a new harvest season.

The Collaborative Coffee Source is committed to paying a price for coffee from the upcoming harvest (86pts and up) that currently represents three times today’s market value for ‘commodity’ coffee in the region.

As a matter of fact, all the farmers we are working with (a dozen plus) are expanding. In addition to maintaining their current farms by pruning, making the trees more productive, as well as replanting, they are also buying more farmland and planting new coffee trees. Many farms were on the verge of being abandoned less than a decade ago; today there is eager expansion and strong will to take part in the specialty coffee sector. The days ahead look bright.

Premises for the 2014 Crop Quality

‘Specialty coffee’ is about positive concrete attributes that we find ‘in the cup’, yes indeed. In an ideal world that is the outcome from a set of good natural conditions plus a set of actions made by the farmer: Specialty coffee is man made, it is coming from a set of conscious choices and honest ‘craftsmanship’. But before all else I like to think of specialty coffee as a ‘mindset’ or ‘ambition’ if you will, with which one is able to do all the extra work that it takes to make it. The Devil is in the Details.

When last years crop tasted particularly good, it had to do with a series of little details that were coming together and making for a clear difference from earlier years. This is how we see the premises are laid out for getting even greater coffee quality from Santa Barbara’s 2014 Crop.

Picking

Many years of prayers and preaching the lesson are paying off. The previous culture of accepting unripe cherries and uneven picking is diminishing. I believe this is the result of a combination of factors. Firstly, the fact that the farmers see us as a sustainable and long-term partner makes for trust in the fact that we want to buy their coffee again and again. A fling is one thing; we’ve been around since 2005. But our clear message of the importance of ripe picking, doesn’t really sink in until farmers themselves take part in cupping sessions. Now they do.

Picking coffee is one of the most labor intensive, hence one of the most costly processes in making the coffee we want to buy. To get these results the farmers we work with are paying a minimum of 50-75% premium for the work of picking cherries to their workers. Additionally, they seem to have succeeded in implementing a stricter regime at the reception of cherries before milling. All cherries that are not fully ripened must now be removed from the batch before they can go into the de-pulping process. This has become common practice amongst our partners.

Processing

Even if the coffee parchment looks perfect in terms of no-cracks, etc., I have, at times, noticed slight unevenness in the color. Not a lot, but enough to want to bring it up.

Generally, I think the traditional washing technique in the region can be improved. At least the outcome after the fermentation and washing can be cleaner and more consistent. Most farms have a small de-pulping machine and an open fermentation tank, meaning they can wash the coffee either manually in the same tank, or (better) in a separate (often small) washing channel.

I have suggested a new trial project that may lead to even more clarity in cup profile. Farmers who have agreed will now try to soak the already washed coffee in a separate tank with new clean water before putting it out for drying. Washing is often done in the afternoon, thus if the coffee is put back into a ‘soaking tank’ it will get another 12-18 hours of water contact, plus the obvious benefit of extra mucilage removal.

This is common practice in East African countries, making for the cleanest, most complex, sweet and acidic coffees in the world; it will not hurt to try it in Santa Barbara. We’ve asked for trials and will buy the coffee regardless of the outcome, thus the involved farmers are at no risk.

Drying

Generally, the drying process is the most unknown territory in coffee processing, thus it is the most interesting one to study. Until recently, few farmers had their own drying beds. Now it is mandatory if one wants to be in the specialty coffee game.

In previous years, farmers in Santa Barbara used to de-pulp, ferment and wash the coffee at their farms, then brought the wet coffee in parchment down to a common place for patio drying, run by San Vicente. This meant that another party was taking over the task of processing, hence making the coffee.

The biggest change responsible for elevating the quality of coffee processing in the Santa Barbara region in recent years has been the new drying regime that is now taking place at many farms. Sun drying on beds is, depending on climatic conditions, either done under parabolic translucent cover (for rain protection) or under perforated mesh (for shade), and includes continuous hand raking and picking out of visible defects. This process is gentler than past drying techniques and is probably providing for a better result in the cup. It allows for a better view of the process, and a more hands-on approach.

Most good things come with a cost: When farmers are more involved in making their finished product it is more labor intensive and costly for them, but it provides for the chance to get a better price for their product. This is both empowering, as well as makes one more responsible for the outcome.

The Moreno family has been the role model in the Santa Barbara community this regard, which is probably why they have made the most consistent quality for ten years running. Yet, as of last year, ALL our relationship-farms have committed to this new regime.

Post drying

The handling of coffee post processing and drying is important for maintaining its quality. Our concern goes beyond the fresh flavors from the cupping table at origin. We experienced that the coffees we got from Santa Barbara last year kept well throughout the months of roasting. As a matter of fact, the few bags that are still in roasting production around the world are still cupping impressively well.

Packing the coffee with Grain-Pro bag liners for export has in recent years become common practice internationally. Anything less is now unheard of. Last year our partner at this origin, San Vicente Coffee Exporters, implemented a simple yet important approach in how to store coffee before export and before dry milling: While the coffee is resting, usually for a few weeks, sometimes for a couple of months (waiting for all farm lots to be harvested and collected) the coffee is always kept in its parchment before milling. Usually parchment coffee is kept in woven polyurethane bags. As of last year San Vicente started storing the parchment coffee with an additional Grain- Pro liner. This seems to have stabilized and maintained moisture levels better. The decreased fluctuation of moisture content and resulting decreased impact from ambient moisture levels, has seemingly made for a more stable resting process. Let’s say: a more restful rest. The result is an altogether fresher coffee before departure and upon arrival; a better maintained coffee all the way.

Producer Profile: Danny Moreno

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dannymoreno Danny Moreno Farm Name: El Filo Micro Region: El Cedral Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 2.46 hectares Variety: Pacas Altitude: 1550 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

The Moreno brothers: Miguel, Mario, Danny, Jesus, Gerardo, and Olvin inherited their farms from their father Daniel, who divided “El Filo” into lots for each son. More recently, Miguel’s son Dolmin has been managing his own plot on El Filo. Together, the family built a wet mill, raised beds, and solar dryers to process and prepare their specialty lot. Working together and sharing their facilities with their neighbours, the family has helped elevate the El Cedral community to produce and prepare better quality.

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence. To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

Farm Profile: Santa Maria

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Cresencio Crescencio Izaguirre Farm Name: Santa Maria Micro Region: El Cedral Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 0.70 hectares Variety: Pacas Altitude: 1600 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

Crescencio is one of the smallest producers in El Cedral area. He process his coffee at the Moreno family’s facilities, utilizing their wet mill and raised beds to prepare and dry his coffee.

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

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Processing crescencioizaguirre _DSC1662

Farm Profile: Flor de la Peña

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Jose Luis Delcid Farm Name: Flor de la Peña Micro Region: Las Flores Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 4.22 hectares Variety: Pacas, Bourbon, Catuai, Geisha, Pacamara Altitude: 1550 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

Jose Luis Delcid moved to Las Flores for the express purpose of cultivating specialty coffee. We have known Luis for several years and met him through San Vincente—the exporter that organizes and ships all our coffees from Santa Barbara. Luis has been an employee (truck driver and handyman) for San Vincente for over 30 years and as a result, has gained a lot of experience and knowledge about coffee producing through his work with, observations of and interactions with other producers.

Luis acquired Flor de la Peña a few years ago has developed five different varieties on his farm. This farm benefits from high altitudes but has only just recently yielded enough coffee to sell. The 2012 harvest was a mixture of these varieties, but this year, Luis has separated his lots – the 2012 harvest was quite small and Luis could not afford to pay his pickers to separate the different varieties of cherries. In addition to variety separation, Luis has invested in and built his own fermentation tank, using profits from last year’s harvest.

We see much long-term potential at Flor de la Peña and Luis has already shown dedication and care through some of his techniques, such as drying his own coffee on patios. He is currently in the process of building solar dryers on his farm.

pdf version

Cupping & Cropster Presentation at the Barn, May 28

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Cupping_glasses

The Collaborative Coffee Source  and the Barn would like to invite you out to a cupping and Cropster presentation Tuesday, May 28 from 17:00.
The focus countries are Honduras and Guatemala. We will be presenting just  harvested crops coming from our partners in Santa Barbara, Honduras and Antigua, Guatemala! Both regions are, each year, becoming more and more recognized for producing some of the best quality coffee on offer from their respective countries. We are excited to present some of the "cream of the crop" from our partners in these two regions.
Following these cuppings will be a presentation from Cropster, the cool guys responsible for some of the most innovative and user-friendly roast logging tools on the market.
Don't miss out!
 

May & June 2013 Cupping Events

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collaborative-3248 London in Review

Thank you to The Association and Prufrock Coffee for being such excellent hosts for our recent cupping events!

To recap: Our focus during the Association cupping were the Hacienda La Esmeralda Special auction lots. The Peterson family produces separate lots based on geographic areas, microclimates and picking dates from their farms and then auction these lots each year. The date for this year's auction is May 21st and we wanted to give UK roasters the opportunity to taste and form a buying group to bid on these amazing coffees during auction.

Our cupping at Prufrock had a broader focus and in addition to cupping the Esmeralda lots, cuppers tasted  fresh crop Guatemalan and Honduran coffees coming from our friends at Bella Vista in Antigua and San Vincente in Santa Barbara. Also in the mix were soon-to-arrive Kenya and Ethiopia coffees.

There were great turnouts at these events! Thanks to all who took the time to join us.

May and June Events

For all you out there who couldn't join us in London, don't despair! We're make the rounds again in May and June. Mark your calendars!

Oslo: May 15 @ Kaffa Roastery. Esmeralda auction lots, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Berlin: May 21 @ the Barn. Esmeralda auction lots. Auction is that day! May 28 @ the Barn: Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Nice: June 26-28 during SCAE World of Coffee. Details to follow!

RSVP

London Again! April 23-24

Prufrock Coffee, London

Prufrock Coffee, London

London has become a second home for us at the Collaborative - especially at Prufrock Coffee, which has now welcomed and helped us co-host several cuppings since the very beginning. We have cupped some fantastic coffees and met some great coffee people within these walls, and now we are heading back to our London home again next week.

This time around, however, we have another venue and event to talk about: an exclusive cupping of coffees from Hacienda La Esmeralda at The Association. We have developed a great relationship over the years with the Peterson family, owners of Hacienda La Esmeralda. Throughout the history of Panama's Best of Panama competition, the Petersons and their geisha coffees have performed very well - winning or placing close to the top, many times. The quality and unique flavour characteristics have become so well regarded, that the family decided to hold their own auction, where lots are separated amongst their farms based on geographic areas and microclimates, and picking dates. These auction coffees comprise the Hacienda La Esmeralda Special lots.

Since 2006, we have been buying coffees from the Petersons and will offer their Esmeralda Boquete geisha blend this year, as we did last year. In addition to the Boquete Blend, we are excited to announce that we will be cupping this year's auction lots at The Association next week. This is an opportunity to be amongst the first to taste these amazing coffees, as well as provide interested roasters the opportunity to organize a buying group during the auction, which takes place on May 21st.

Where: The Association, 12 Creechurch Lane When: April 23, 4:30-6pm RSVP: Please confirm your attendance here

The next day, as part of UK Coffee Week, Prufrock is co-hosting a cupping where you will again have the opportunity to taste Esmeralda's auction lots. In addition, cuppers will taste fresh crop Guatemala and Honduran coffees from our friends at Bella Vista in Antigua and San Vincente in Santa Barbara. This is your chance to decide which lots are coming to Europe and into your roasteries before they are shipped! Also in the mix are soon-to-arrive Kenya coffees and again, you will have the opportunity to reserve the names you want offered in your menus.

See you there!

Producer Profile: Miguel Moreno

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Miguel Moreno
Farm Name: El Filo
Micro Region: El Cedral
Region: Santa Barbara
Farm Size: 3.5 hectares
Variety: Pacas
Altitude: 1550 m.a.s.l.
Processing: Washed

Daniel Moreno – patriarch of the Moreno family – wanted to give up coffee farming 10 years ago, when coffee prices were abysmally low. At this point, the sons had all moved to the US to work and earn a better living, and Miguel in particular, moved in order to earn enough to pay off mounting and substantial debts. In 2005, however, Miguel returned to Honduras and his neighbor, Mr. Benitez, won the 2nd Honduras Cup of Excellence competition. He didn’t make it to the awards ceremony, so Miguel accepted in his stead.

This experience ended up being a turning point for the family and Daniel split up El Filo into five lots (keeping one for himself and calling it “El Campo”). Currently, El Filo is split into eight lots, with Miguel’s son Dolmin most recently receiving his own plot to manage. The brothers began submitting their coffees to CoE and in 2007, Miguel’s lot won 4th place at the competition, with 90.6 points. This same year, he began to pick more selectively, pulp and dry his own coffee. In each subsequent year until 2010, his coffees placed well at competition. In 2010, motivated by the successes of his coffees and his neighbours’ successes (more than half of CoE winners were now coming from the Santa Barbara region), Miguel and his brothers began looking for a buyer for all the coffee produced at El Filo. Due to his hard work, dedication, innovation and investments, we decided to enter into a long-term partnership with the entire Moreno family and in 2011, we received the first of these shipments.

The brothers have bought more land at a higher altitude and decided to plant more unique varieties there. Because production will substantially increase in the coming years, they have already invested in good quality equipment, which will be able to handle these increased volumes.

Although the Moreno brothers work closely together, each brother’s and their father’s lots are processed separately, which is why we label each lot distinctly. Following from unique and individualized practices, each lot cups distinctly and differently.

We are proud and excited about the progress of these relationships and looking forward to even better quality coffee in the years ahead.

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washing facility
washing facility
miguel moreno
miguel moreno
hillside
hillside
drying room
drying room

London Centrals Cupping: Thursday 27th September

After the overwhelming success of our last London cuppings, we have decided to come back and present our latest coffee gems in the shape of Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama (Geisha).

We will be hosted by the wonderful people at Prufrock coffee on Leather Lane and will be joined with a skype link to the Collaborative founder Robert Thoresen who will introduce us to the coffees and regions and lead the discussion after cupping.

Date: Thursday 27th September

Time: 5pm

Location: Prufrock Coffee,  23-25 Leather Lane EC1N 7TE

The timings are as follows:

16.45 Arrival

17:00 Introduction to the coffees with Robert Thoresen via Skype

17:30 Cupping Honduras, Costa Rica & Panama Geisha

18:30 Discussion including Robert via Skype

19:00 Ends

Farm Profile: Jazmin

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neptaly Edy Neptaly Bautista Farm Name: Jazmin Micro Region: El Cedral Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 2.10 hectares Variety: Pacas Altitude: 1500 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

Neptaly lives on the border of El Cedral, very close to El Cielito, where he owns another small plantation, planted with Pacas bushes. We first met Neptaly at San Vincente in 2009 and have bought from him since. Throughout our partnership, we have had several discussions about how the potential of producing even better quality coffee through investments in his own facilities, especially drying beds. We have seen improvements each year in the quality of the green coffee coming from Jazmin and this year is no exception - the quality of his coffee has improved substantially this year. We have known each other for several years now, and it has become a good friendship and sustainable partnership for both of us.

Neptaly is one of the greatest representatives to exemplify the wonderful improvements in Santa Barbara in recent years.

Husbandry and processing work and improvements: - he has the resources to buy the fertilizer he needs and he applies it in timely fashion, which is very important. - he does all the pruning and field work himself. He has a small farm and he is a very proud farmer (and wants to do as much as possible himself) - he manages the picking team of 12 seasonal workers (cherry pickers) during harvest to ensure a good quality. Red picking is key and in working with Neptaly, the pickers really understand the importance of quality! - he has built his own processing facility after he decided to do it by himself, not with his brother in-law as previously. He now with full control. - he has built a new parabolic/solar bed for drying his coffee, just like the Moreno brothers, so he is more in charge of that process too. - he has bought a new little piece of land so he can plant more coffee trees. - he has built a new house in the city so his children can go to college there. - he doesn't own a car but he has just bought a motorcycle so he can get around more easily.

Neptaly has two farms (less than 1ha each). The one that has the best coffee is an hour’s walk away from his farmhouse. So during picking season, cherries are transported by mule to the processing facility.

Background to Santa Barbara

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates. In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

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Farm Profile: Los Yoyos

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IMG_2168 Eulogio Martinez Farm Name: Los Yoyos Micro Region: Las Flores Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 0.7 hectares Variety: Pacamara Altitude: 1400 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

We met Eulogio in 2008, while visiting producers at San Vincente we were already working with. We are always looking for new, innovative and diverse producers and because Eulogio was the first producer to develop the Pacamara variety in Santa Barbara, we were interested in cupping his coffee. His coffee proved to be quite unique with a lot of acidity – albeit unbalanced – not found in any of the other coffees produced by our other partners in Honduras. We decided to buy his lot that year, both because of the potential we saw in it and because we did not want to see it wasted by going into an export mix.

Each year since, we have visited with Eulogio and discussed processing and quality – specifically the need to be even more selective in his cherry selection than before. His coffee has shown tremendous improvement and is cupping more balanced this year. We look forward to even better quality in the seasons to come.

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers. Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

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ripe cherries hillside demucilager

Farm Profile: El Pozo

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Edwin Pineda Farm Name: El Pozo Micro Region: El Sauce Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 0.35 Hectares Variety: Pacas

El Pozo is located in the micro-region of El Sauce and Mr. Edwin Pineda has decided to focus on producing high quality/specialty grade coffee. To this end, processes his own coffee at his father-in-law’s wet mill, located in the town of El Dorado, Santa Barbara. In addition, he has invested in raised beds and dries his own coffee – a practice not yet commonplace amongst the farms in Santa Barbara.

El Sauce is a micro region that is increasingly becoming renowned for high quality coffee within Santa Barbara. It is a region that has been represented well at Cup of Excellence. Edwin is a newer partner for us and we believe he has the drive and ambition to produce ever-increasing quality coffee, as evidenced by the investments he’s made in his facilities and due to the care he’s shown in the processing of his coffee.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

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Farm Profile: Don Amado

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donamado1 Jose Amado Fernandez Farm Name: Don Amado Micro Region: Las Flores Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 3.7 hectares Variety: Yellow Catuai Altitude: 1550 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

Jose Amado’s father, Don Amado (Jose’s farm’s namesake), divided his farm into four lots – one for each of his sons. While all the brothers share facilities, each owns their own equipment and each farm’s lots are processed separately. Jose’s yellow catuai variety won the Cup of Excellence competition in 2010, with 91 points, and we bought the remaining three bags from his harvest that year.

Since then, we have visited the farm 1-2 times per year and have encouraged Jose to invest in more processing facilities. One planned future investment is drying beds, which will lead to higher quality coffee and better prices for his coffee. Jose has shown clear merits as a dedicated and conscientious producer and his coffee was one of Kaffa’s favourites from Central America in 2011. This particular lot was consistently clean and maintained its quality throughout the year.

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates. In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

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tank depulper cherries

Producer Profile: Jesus Moreno

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Jesus Moreno Farm Name: El Filo Micro Region: El Cedral Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 1.05 hectares Variety: Pacas Altitude: 1580 m.a.s.l. Processing: Washed

The Moreno Brothers: Miguel, Mario, Danny, Jesus, Gerardo, and Olvin inherited their farm from their father Daniel, who divided El Filo into lots for each son. More recently, Miguel’s son Dolmin was given his own plot on El Filo to manage. Together, the family has built a wet mill, raised beds, and solar dryers to process and prepare specialty grade coffee. The Moreno brothers are model producers in El Cedral, as well as the wider region. Together, the Moreno family helps and motivates neighbouring farmers to produce and prepare better quality coffee through the sharing of their collective knowledge and facilities.

The villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another along the mountain range in Santa Barbara. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates. In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

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Farm Profile: La Tigra

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Martir Muñoz

Farm Name: La Tigra Micro Region: El Sauce Region: Santa Barbara Farm Size: 3.5 Hectares Variety: Caturra Altitude: 1550 masl Processing: Washed

The Muñoz family has been growing coffee for many years, but this year is the first they have focused on producing and processing specialty grade coffee. La Tigra is a plantation of Caturra bushes and the plants are young – just three-years old. The Muñozes process their coffee at their own wet mill, which is then dried on their patio.

Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours on this hillside and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.

There exists an eagerness here; a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships – that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. One of the biggest assumptions within specialty coffee is that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibits these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates.

In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience “freezing”: the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But clever and prescient coffee farmers, like the ones we collaborate with, invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.

pdf version

Introduction to Santa Barbara, Honduras

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Since 2005, the region, Santa Barbara, and the small producers living and working there, have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established all began with the purchase of a microlot from Mr. Benitez when he won the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize, through working with him, that there are more exceptional producers like him from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

This year we have chosen coffee from 16 smallholdings located along one hillside in Santa Barbara, where the villages Cielito, Cedral and Las Flores follow one after another. Grown on this hillside is mostly Pacas, a coffee species akin to Bourbon, as well as Yellow Catuaí and Pacamara. It is challenging to process coffee cherries in areas like these, which are close to the jungle and thus, to rain. The drying process, in particular, is especially demanding. But when these processes are precisely controlled, seemingly problematic factors (like drying under challenging conditions) are what make coffee from this area particularly interesting. The coffee produced here cups with flavour attributes not found anywhere else in Central America.

Santa Barbara is the name of a region in Honduras, but it is also the name of the mountain range that stretches through this part of the country. Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy.

The one special hillside mentioned earlier has, over the past several years, become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbours who help each other to refine the best of their lots.

On this hillside exists an eagerness – a willingness, motivation and ambition to produce the best coffee in the country. But there are also large differences amongst the farmers and our purpose is to be close to this special coffee community and get to know the most ambitious of the farmers here; the ones we can develop something with. In order to build relationships - that allow both parties to have a common understanding of quality coffee – there must be frequent and long-term presence.

To produce coffee that tastes fruity is not very complicated. But to produce coffee that is clean, clear, fresh and fruity – that’s an art. Assumption number one is always that coffee from high-altitude areas naturally exhibit these characteristics. But high elevation can lead to potential problems, even in tropical climates. In the highest areas of Santa Barbara, up to and over 1800 meters, producers can experience "freezing": the combination of temperatures between 4-5C and rainfall that combine to cause cherries to not ripen and leaves to die on the bush. These conditions create a cold and humid climate, which is hazardous for processing and requires steady and reliable drying conditions for coffee so quality will not deteriorate. These natural conditions, of course, cannot be evaded. But a clever and prescient coffee farmer can invest in drying systems that minimize the risks associated with weather.
 

Moreno Brothers

Of the people we have been working with in Santa Barbara, our work with the Moreno brothers is one of the longest standing. It is amongst our coolest relationships anywhere. In previous years, the Morenos preferred selling their best lots through the Cup of Excellence auction because they always achieved good results and prices. But in the last few years, however, they have decided to trade differently because they are now confident that they can produce all their coffee to CoE quality standards, and thus prefer to sell directly, knowing they will receive good prices and a stable working relationship.

In our agreement with them, we have determined that after the best lots have been identified for the season, we will cup to verify that they meet our quality standards, and then pay a higher base price than their already higher-than-average price. For lots cupping even better, we will pay more. We only buy coffee we score at 86-points or higher. For coffee scoring between 86-88 points, we have decided to pay an additional 25% premium on top of the established base price. Coffee scoring between 88.5-90 points receives a 50% premium and, if coffee scores higher than 90-points, the Morenos receive a 100% premium! We believe the Moreno family, in the future, will produce more coffee of better quality (i.e. lots of 88-90-point coffee). The family is very motivated by the outlined agreement and we are very happy and excited about this partnership.

Stay tuned for soon to come posts on our other Santa Barbara partners!