ORIGIN

Finca El Zapote is located in the heart of Guatemala's Acatenango coffee region, right in the center of the village of Socorro. Julio, the farm's owner, has devoted his entire life to growing and caring for coffee.

Julio's objectives are precise and clearly defined, and each year he implements the necessary actions to achieve them. His priority is, of course, quality, but quality achieved in a sustainable manner, with respect for the environment and people.

Four years ago, Julio renovated his washing station to reduce water consumption, making coffee processing more efficient and environmentally friendly.

In recent years, he has also focused on planting new varieties, particularly H1 hybrids. The result is a high-quality cup, but also an increase in production volumes. Drying is another major area of focus on the farm.

Julio designed and built a system of three-tiered raised African beds, allowing him to experiment with different techniques and methods of drying and processing coffee.

In 2022, he began experimenting with anaerobic processes, thereby developing and enriching his coffee offering.

Finca El Zapote has three certifications: Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, and 4C, guaranteeing environmentally friendly production.

The coffees from Finca El Zapote reflect Julio's strong character, his passion, his rigor, and his deep love for a life dedicated to coffee.

PROCESS

After harvesting, the cherries underwent a 16-hour dry fermentation process before being pulped and then dry fermented in vats for a further 14 hours. The coffee was then washed and dried for 12 days on shaded patios to preserve the aromatic clarity and balance of the cup.

NOTES

This year, Julio's Caturra, from Finca El Zapote, is bursting with character: sweet, rich, almost jam-like, with a lovely liveliness carried by notes of wild berries. An addictive cup that you'll want to come back to again and again.

RECOMMENDATION

This micro lot from Guatemala is a pure delight when brewed using gentle methods such as V60, Origami, Aeropress, or Chemex.

We have posted a recipe for preparing coffee with a V60 on our Instagram account. This recipe was originally intended for our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, but we have adapted it below for this Guatemalan coffee:
1. Start by weighing 16.5g of coffee in your grinder.
2. Meanwhile, heat your water to 92°C-95°C.
3. Place the paper filter in the filter holder. Rinse it with hot water to remove the paper taste. Then discard the water from the cup.
4. Next, grind the beans to a medium grind and pour the ground coffee into the filter holder.
5. Place the cup with the filter holder on a scale and tare it. Start the timer, then immediately begin pouring 30g of water and wait 25 to 30 seconds for pre-infusion. Finally, gradually add the rest of the hot water in a circular motion, pausing every 10-15 seconds, until the scale reads 230g.
Once the infusion is complete, you can enjoy your coffee!