Guatemala - La Nueva Era - Natural

GrainPro package 69 kg

Guatemala is a charming country rich in indigenous culture and breathtaking natural scenery. Its most striking features include 37 volcanoes, several of which are still active. These volcanoes not only attract travelers, but also give Guatemalan coffee its unique characteristics. Antigua, one of the oldest coffee regions in Guatemala, is renowned for producing some of the best coffee in the world.

Cooperativa Agrícola Integral La Nueva Era, RL is located in the village of Jumaytepeque, near the city of Nueva Santa Rosa. This area falls within the Fraijanes Plateau coffee region, which is characterized by a higher potassium content in the soil – which contributes to a fuller body of the coffee. Fraijanes is a distinctive coffee region and is one of the very first areas in Guatemala where coffee was grown. The Jumaytepeque volcano, although not active today, is part of the local volcanic belt and the village where the cooperative is located is located at its foot.

La Nueva Era has two separate operations – one for washed coffee and the other for natural coffee. The natural operation is headed by Marlon Perez, who runs it together with the cooperative’s legal representative, Don Ronmer. However, important decisions in the areas of education, agronomy and production are made jointly by all 32 cooperative members. Cooperative members receive an advance payment to cover costs during the harvest and then a second payment when the processed coffee is delivered to the warehouse. All members have access to training and technical support is provided by a team of agronomists.

The naturally processed coffee for this operation is supplied exclusively by Finca Tololoche, owned and operated by three generations of the Sanchez family: Jamie Sanchez, his father Don Fernando, and his son Fernando. The finca is located on Mount Jumaytepeque, which rises directly above the cooperative, and covers an area of ​​50 hectares.

In the case of natural processing, the length of drying is affected by altitude. Farmers drying cherries at altitudes of around 1000 m above sea level need about 10–12 days, while at higher altitudes the drying time can be extended by another 5 days. In this particular lot, the cherries were harvested at a sugar content of 22–26 Brix, then washed and dried on a concrete yard for 4 days without any turning. The cherries are then turned 6–8 times a day for another 4 days, until the desired moisture content is reached.

The dried cherries are then transported to the nearest cooperative warehouse and subsequently to the Fedecocagua dry mill in the town of Palín.

Flavor profile : Sweet, balanced cup with flavors of dried fruit, dark berry jam, and a dark chocolate aftertaste

Country of origin : Guatemala

Region : Fraijanes Plateau

Farm : Cooperativa La Nueva Era

Producer : Fedecocagua

Altitude: 1000-1080 m above sea level

Variety : Catuai, Marsellesa, Pache, Sarhimor

Processing : Natural

Cupping Score : 86

Crop: 24