About This Coffee
The Mierisch family, well-known for their dedication to excellence, operates La Escondida farm in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Here, they experiment with new and fun varieties, combining attention to detail with innovative processing methods to produce exceptional-quality coffees.
This Red Catuai from La Escondida showcases what a renowned variety and well-executed processing can achieve. Fincas Mierisch maximized the variety's potential in the cup - chocolate, dried red fruits, citric/malic acidity and rich body - by selecting Red Honey processing with controlled fermentation.
Cultivation
La Escondida is home to the "varietal garden,"of the Mierisch family, where new varieties are tested before deciding whether they are suitable for large-scale planting. It is also the only farm in Nicaragua where Laurina is grown, in a specific plot that is irrigated due to its proximity to a water source.
Some of the interesting varieties present in this garden include H1 (Centroamericano), Yellow and Orange Pacas, Yellow Caturra, Tekisic, Obata, Venecia, Pink Bourbon, SL-28, and, soon, Arara.
Red Catuai is a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra. This variety is a compact plant with a good production yield and can deliver excellent cup quality when grown at high altitudes and processed properly. It is the most widely planted variety on their farms and is also very common among producers in Nicaragua, along with Caturra.
Although susceptible to most diseases, it continues to be cultivated due to its cup quality, which is characterized by notes of chocolate, dried red fruits (such as raisins and cherries), citric/malic acidity, and a rich, full body.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
At Finca La Escondida, Catuaí undergoes the Red Honey process, a meticulous method that enhances its natural sweetness and complexity. After careful handpicking, only the ripest cherries are selected and depulped, leaving a significant portion of sticky mucilage intact. The beans are then spread in thin layers on raised drying beds under controlled shade, allowing for slow fermentation and even drying over 15 to 20 days. This process encourages the development of rich, fruity flavors, resulting in a cup profile with notes of dried red fruits, chocolate, and a balanced citric acidity.
The Mierisch family processes their mill, "Beneficio Don Esteban," in Matagalpa, one hour away from the farm.
Sustainable Harvest
Sustainable Harvest® is a specialty coffee trader focusing primarily on bringing coffees to market that are sourced from smallholder farmer cooperatives in the supply chain such as indigenous communities, women groups and the next generation of coffee farmers.
Their sourcing model is built on transparency, traceability and direct relationships between quality-minded coffee roasters and best-in-class coffee producers. Sustainable Harvest® has an on-site presence at origin with staff in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Peru. Each office coordinates their supply including quality management, supplier relationships, source development, logistics, training and capacity building.
Coffee in Nicaragua
Nicaragua may not be the most famous producer of Central American coffee, but it has great potential. The country is known as the land of ‘los lagos y los volcanes’ (lakes and volcanos) and has many coffee growing ‘pockets’ that few have heard of or experienced. Many producers in the country are experimenting with new varieties and processing methods, making it a specialty origin to watch.
Many coffee producers in Nicaragua today are buoyed by cooperatives that provide a wide array of services, supports and opportunity. As seen in the win of the ‘El Acuerdo de las Tunas’, where 3,000 landless workers won land rights, collective action by farmers can be far more effective at enacting widespread change than the advocacy of individual farmers.
Cooperatives and farmer associations in Nicaragua encompass a large percentage of the country’s coffee producers, and they are taking their destiny in their own hands. By putting great emphasis on quality and by aiming for the international specialty coffee industry, cooperatives and farmers associations are helping their members gain influence and import that will, hopefully, garner enough profit to enable farmers to continue to improve and invest in their farms and their families.
Large and medium-sized (10+ hectare) farms also hold a significant place in Nicaragua’s coffee landscape, as well. Many of these farms have also prioritized social and environmental issues and are working on quality improvements at both cultivation and post-harvest levels.
Farmers, for the most part, will process coffee on their own farms, and the majority of the time coffee is dried on large drying patios under sun.