Nicaragua
Gregorio Roberto Herrera

Something different! The 36h anaerobic washed fermentation gives a highly fruity profile, closer to a natural process coffee.

Anaerobic washed process Caturra

Flavour: red apple, frangipane, passionfruit

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

La Estrella is located in the department of Nueva Segovia, within the municipality of San Fernando, less than an hour away from Ocotal, where Caravela’s drying and purchasing station is situated. In fact, Gregorio was inspired by the beneficio center when naming his farm, La Estrella. Coffee has been a part of Gregorio’s family for generations. He comes from a traditional coffee-growing family and hopes to pass this passion on to his children.

In 2009, Gregorio decided to buy a piece of land, continue the family tradition, and start his own coffee business. However, four years later, he realized he needed to change the way he had been producing coffee. That’s when he met Caravela and learned about specialty coffee. He saw an opportunity to become more sustainable over time and improve his quality of life.

He had to adjust some parts of his farm’s process, like harvesting practices and wet milling methods, including adopting longer fermentation techniques. In the beginning, he says it was challenging because it was a whole new approach—different from what he had been used to. But today, he looks back with pride, knowing it was worth every second and every penny. Not only have his farm and processes improved, but his lifestyle has transformed since he began producing specialty coffee. For instance, with the extra income he earned, Gregorio purchased another farm, which he calls El Palmar.

Today, he works alongside his son, who helps him throughout the entire coffee process. Together, they manage everything. Their farm is made up of 80% Caturra and 20% Catuaí. They harvest only ripe cherries and then carry out an anaerobic fermentation for 36 hours. Afterward, they wash the coffee before taking it to Caravela’s drying station, just 40 minutes away in Ocotal.

Learn everything about this coffee:

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

Learn more:
Our packaging

Producer: Gregorio Roberto Herrera
Farm/Coop: Finca La Estrella
Country: Nicaragua
Region: Nueva Segovia
Altitude: 1471m above sea level
Variety: Caturra
Process: anaerobic washed
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Red apple, frangipane, passionfruit
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Variety

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.

The location

Coffee from Nicaragua

The true potential of Nicaraguan coffee has been hindered by a long history of political instability and natural disaster, however successful programs such as the Cup of Excellence competition and the Nicaraguan Specialty Coffee Association have helped drive the potential of Nicaraguan coffee into real quality production

Farm processes

Anaerobic 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.