Orange, Kombucha and Lingonberry.

Farm: Brumas del Zurqui Micromill
Grower: Juan Ramon Alvarado Rodriguez and family
Region: Heredia, Central Valley
Country: Costa Rica
Processing: Natural
Elevation: 1,400 - 1,800masl
Varieties: Orange Bourbon
Sourced Through: Cafe Imports Australia

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Beneficio Brumas Del Zurqui is a micromill located in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica in the sub-region of Heredia. Neighboring farms deliver cherries to this micromill. Varieties include Villa Sarchi, SL-28, Bourbon, Gesha, Typica, Caturra, and Orange Bourbon.

The mill is managed and run by Juan Ramon Alvarado Rodriguez and his family. They are fourth generation coffee producers and in 2003-2004, they began innovating their processing methods and expanding their processing infrastructure. They have also built out a cupping laboratory and roastery to ensure and maintain quality.

In the past couple years Beneficio Brumas Del Zurqui has had to face labor shortages due to both the pandemic and workers moving on to other countries in search of other employment. However, Juan takes great pride in what he does and is glad to have been able to build a family, generate employment, and provide a positive social and economic impact to his community through coffee. Juan encourages the roasters who buy his coffee to roast with intention and wake up feeling motivated, cheerful, and with a desire to live and have new experiences! He hopes that the values and love of coffee he cultivates on the farm will be carried all the way through the pipeline from seed to cup.   

“I hope to God that I will die a farmer and I hope my son does too” – Juan Ramon Alvarado Rodriguez

Region - Central Valley
The Central Valley of Costa Rica is the heart of the country’s coffee industry. The high elevation, consistent weather patterns, frequent rains, and volcanic soil contribute to the wide range of offerings we are able to source form this region. Producers in the Central Valley often grow traditional hybrids and apply some of Costa Rica’s most forward-thinking processing techniques.

Microlot
Microlots from Costa Rica are typically sourced from producers who have invested not only in growing their farms, but also in building and operating their own processing facilities, typically called "micromills." Micromills typically yield fewer than 1,000 bags annually, and are often independently owned by a family or small group of producers. Microlots in Costa Rica are separated out based on differentiated characterizations such as processing, variety, or some other aspect. Microlots carry the highest quality as well as the highest level of traceability.

Process
Natural coffees are typically processed the day they are harvested, and are first sorted for ripeness and quality before being rinsed clean of debris. In many places this initial sorting happens via a float tank: Damaged and defective cherries will float to the top to be removed, while high-quality coffee will sink to the bottom to be cleaned and dried. After sorting, cherries are spread on raised drying beds, table, tarps, or patios, where they will be rotated constantly throughout the course of drying. Drying can take an average of 30–40 days, depending on the weather.
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NB: If you remember Carmela's coffee from previous seasons please be aware this harvest has a substantially different flavour profile. It doesn't posses the intense winey quality of previous years and is much cleaner (but with subdued fruit as well).

Pineapple Kombucha, Apricot, Rum & Raisin.

Farm: Carmelita
Country: Bolivia
Province: Caranavi
Colony: Copacabana
Elevation: 1,600–1,650 masl
Variety: Caturra
Processing: Coco Natural
Producer: Carmela Aduviri
Sourced Through: Melbourne Coffee Merchants

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The first of its kind in the country, the Sol de la Manaña program is aimed at sharing knowledge and technical assistance with local producers to create better quality coffees in higher quantities. By doing so Agricafe hopes that coffee production can be a viable and sustainable crop for producers, like Carmela, in the region for many years to come.

After the coffee was delivered, it was placed into a floatation tank and all floaters were removed. The whole cherries were then dried on on raised beds in the sun and turned turned regularly to ensure it dried evenly. The drying was then finished off at a very low temperature in a stationary drier. The coffee was then transported to La Paz where it was rested, and then milled at the Rodriguez family’s brand new dry mill. At the mill, the coffee was carefully screened again by machines and also by hand to remove any defects.

Carmela worked hard to collect and process the cherries for this special micro lot and carefully hand polished all of the cherries before delivering them to the mill! A whole lot of love and hard work has gone into this coffee.. we hope you enjoy it!

Read about the Sol de la Mañana program here and Pedro Rodgriguez here and about Bolivian coffee more generally here.

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