About This Coffee
Though contributions can vary from season to season, about 70% of the coffee in this particular lot comes from Don Felipe Martinez's Los Arroyos farm, located in La Libertad. Rio Azul is also composed of coffee from multiple farms in Huehuetenango, including contributions from the Santa Barbara area.
Cultivation
Farms contributing to the Rio Azul blend are situated at elevations between 1,600 and 2,000 meters above sea level, an ideal range for growing high-quality coffee. Farmers in this region, including Don Felipe and his family, cultivate coffee with care and precision, following traditional methods passed down through generations. After selective handpicking, the cherries are processed at the farms’ wet mills. The group of producers works together to ensure consistent quality across the blend.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
The process begins with handpicking only the ripest cherries. After harvest, the cherries are pulped and fermented in tile-lined fermentation tanks for 12 to 24 hours, depending on the weather. This method allows the coffee to develop its distinctive flavors while being carefully monitored by the farmers.
Following fermentation, the coffee is washed in clean water to remove any remaining mucilage. The wet parchment is then sun-dried on patios, where it is frequently raked to ensure even drying. Once the coffee reaches the optimal humidity level for storage, it is prepared for export.
Though Los Arroyos estate contributes a significant portion to this lot, the Rio Azul coffee highlights the collective effort of farmers throughout the Huehuetenango region. This lot reflects the dedication and skill of these small-scale producers, creating a coffee that embodies the rich terroir of Guatemala.
Coffee in Guatemala
Guatemala boasts a variety of growing regions and conditions that produce spectacular coffees. Today, the country is revered as a producer of some of the most flavorful and nuanced cups worldwide. We are proud to work with several exceptional in-country partners to bring these coffees to market.
The Guatemalan coffee industry experienced a major setback with the 2010 appearance of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Latin America. The epidemic peaked in severity in 2012, and though CLR continues to affect some farms, Guatemala continues to produce high-quality, record-breaking coffees. In 2017, new and varied processing methods pushed prices at the Guatemalan Cup of Excellence contest to record highs.
The quality of coffee being produced in Guatemala is increasing, overall, due to the diversity of the industry’s producers. There are more and more small holder farmers producing exceptional coffee at high altitudes. Cooperatives are becoming more appealing to so many smallholders because they often offer farmers financing and other support for improving their farming and processing and are frequently able to offer higher prices for cherry than middlemen. Many cooperatives have initiated quality improvement training for farmer members and are becoming more adept at helping members market their coffee as specialty.