Meet the People Behind Your Cup

Chiapas is Mexico’s southernmost state, and it shares a border with another Central American coffee powerhouse: Guatemala. Several small holder farmers grew this lot. A study in the Mexican Journal of Agricultural Sciences, found that about 80% of producers in Chiapas farm less than 5 acres, about half farm 2.5 acres.

The farmer’s family members provide 84% of the labor. That’s what makes specialty coffee producers so special. In most cases it is a family affair. Every member works the land and tends the coffee trees with a reverence that is remarkable; all to bring great coffee to the world.

About This Coffee

This coffee was grown on small farms ranging across the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains. Elevations here range from 4,100- 5,700 feet above sea level. This region is blessed with consistent rainfall, rich volcanic soil, and thick forest canopy; conditions ideal for coffee growing.

This lot consists of two varietals; Catuai and Typica that were processed using the washed method. The ripe coffee cherries are pulped, fermented, washed clean of mucilage, and dried on patios or raised beds.

What you taste in washed processed coffees is the bean, the altitude, the microclimate, and the conditions in which it was grown and processed. The washed process is the cleanest expression of the coffee itself. This coffee earned a cup score of 84.75.  

What to Expect in Your Cup

This is one of those coffees that doesn’t require much thought to enjoy. A smooth, clean, and balanced heavy body with medium acidity reminds you what coffee is supposed to be. It is slightly complex and you may detect notes of dark chocolate, almond, green apple, brown sugar, and raisin.  

This coffee pairs really well with Cinnamon-Raisin Toast, Ham and Swiss on Toasted Sourdough, or Molasses Cookies. You probably already have these in your kitchen!