Ecuador
Cesar Andagoya

One of our latest stunning lots from Ecuador. Hailing from the Pichincha region, this coffee expertly balances acidity and body to create a clean, juicy cup. We’re finding notes of vanilla, rhubarb, and red apple.

Washed process Caturra, Typica

Flavour: vanilla, plum, red apple

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

Finca San Pedro

In the northern canton of Quito lies the small town of Pacto, where Cesar Andagoya owns and operates his farm, San Pedro, in the rural area. Here, he resides with his wife Rosa Elena and their two daughters. The farm takes its name from a nearby creek of the same name.

Cesar Andagoya with a warm smile and his harvest

Career shift

Prior to venturing into coffee, Cesar worked in the timber industry, but faced challenges that led to the loss of his job. During this period, he discovered neglected coffee trees belonging to his mother and decided to take charge of them. This marked the beginning of his coffee journey in 2018.

Initially, the coffee venture was tough due to low prices, posing financial difficulties. However, in 2018, Cesar shifted his focus to specialty coffee, a decision that proved fruitful for both him and the farm. Since then, he has managed to support his daughters’ education and has enhanced farm management practices in pursuit of higher quality.

One significant improvement was effectively managing shade, resulting in increased coffee production. Starting in coffee turned out to be a pivotal decision for Cesar. With his accumulated expertise, he now gives back to the community by educating younger generations on specialty coffee production.

Processing

Cesar begins the coffee production process by meticulously hand-picking only the ripest cherries, which are then transported to the wet mill on the farm. There, the cherries undergo flotation to remove defective ones that float. Following this, they are pulped and left to ferment in water for 24 hours. After fermentation, the beans are washed and transferred to covered raised beds, where they dry for 26 to 30 days until they reach the optimal moisture content.

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Ethical, traceable sourcing

This page has all the sourcing information (variety, process, region, story, importer, and more) that our importers share with us, and give us permission to use.

The transparency helps us talk confidently about the quality and background of our product, and it helps you know exactly what you’re buying.

Learn more:
Coffee page transparency legend
Our coffee philosophy
Our business approach

Fresh harvest coffee

We only source and roast coffee from each country’s latest harvest season (so the green coffee is never older than 1 year from the time of picking, processing and packing). This ensures the sensory qualities are always at their peak and unaffected by excessive ageing.

Roasted for espresso and filter (best enjoyed black)

Roast style: omni. Omni roasts are designed to brew and taste great both as espresso and filter. Our omni single origins generally sit on Agtron values in the ~70-60 value range. So, technically, they are somewhere in the lighter side of the medium spectrum.

Designed for espresso and filter brewing. Best enjoyed black.

Learn more:
Our Loring Kestrel S35 roaster
Our roasting style and approach

Best brewed within days 15-49 post-roast

The ‘fresh is best’ saying doesn’t apply to coffee (contrary to popular belief). Waiting before opening and brewing your bag of whole coffee beans helps develop peak flavour and acidity.

But heads up: if you buy pre-ground coffee, brew it as soon as possible.

Learn more:
Our recommended brewing window

Try our custom brewing recipes

Our recipes and ratios are tailored to our coffee sourcing and roasting styles, bringing the best flavour and feel out of each coffee.

For pour over, immersion, and other filter brewing styles, check our brew guides.
For our espresso single origins, we recommend a coffee:yield ratio of 1:3:

Dose: 20g ground coffee
Yield: 60g espresso
Total brew time: ~24-28 seconds

This is just a starting point! We encourage you to experiment, taste, and adjust to find the recipe that you enjoy the most.

Learn more:
Our espresso brew guide (single origin)
Brewing ratio calculator

Packaging and sustainability

Bags: ABA-certified home compostable (AS 5810-2010)
Labels: recyclable
Valves (only on +250g bags): general waste
Box and tape (online orders): recyclable

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Our packaging

Producer: Cesar Andagoya
Farm/Coop: Finca San Pedro
Country: Ecuador
Region: Pichincha
Altitude: 1392m above sea level
Varieties: Caturra, Typica
Process: washed
Harvested: June 2023
Importer: Caravela
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Vanilla, plum, red apple
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varieties

Caturra variety

Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon that was originally discovered in Brazil in 1937, considered to be the first naturally occurring mutation ever discovered.

Typica variety

Considered to be one of the ‘genus’ varietals from which all other varietals have mutated from

The location

Coffee from Ecuador

For a long time most of Ecuador’s coffee production was for commodity grade export or the production of soluble coffees (freeze dried coffee). Only in the last few years has the potential of the country’s coffee production been really explored. We’re very excited about the potential Ecuador and have some truly exceptional coffees

Farm processes

Washed process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.