Ecuador La Fortaleza Carmen Gagnay: Sample Coffee Roasters

Ecuador
La Fortaleza
Carmen Gagnay

We find flavours of florals, cane sugar, grape

Body Acidity

We’re back to Ecuador for this week’s coffee, from the Palmito Pamba region.

Finca La Fortaleza is a four hectare farm run by Carmen Gagnay. The majority of the farm is devoted to growing coffee, with around three hectares planted primarily with the Bourbon varietal.

They also tend to a smaller crop of the less common Sidra varietal, which is what you’re enjoying in this delivery.

Among the coffee trees there are also other plants, such as yuca, beans, corn, and sugar cane. The coffee is picked for around four months of the year. Like all coffee harvests, it’s a manual process of picking coffee cherries only when ripe, which are then de-pulped the same day, then fermented dry for at least 15 hours.

The coffee is then washed until the mucilage is completely removed, and dried on a combination of raised beds and under canopies. Drying takes about ten days, depending on weather conditions.

After a long history of lower-grade beans used for freeze-dried coffee, it’s only in the last few years that the potential of Ecuador specialty coffee production been really explored. We think the country has great potential and are pleased to be able introduce you to some exceptional coffees, such as this one.

Sourcing and ingredients

100% Sidra coffee beans, provided by Cafe Imports and roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Packaging

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

1:3
dose:yield
ratio

To brew on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

g dose

g yield

View the how to brew espresso (single origin) guide.

1:16.7
beans:water
ratio

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:14.3
beans:water
ratio

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:12
beans:water
ratio

To brew as cold brew we recommend using a 1:12 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

Producer: Carmen Gagnay
Country: Ecuador
Region: Palmito Pamba, Costa
Altitude: 1300m above sea level
Varietals: Sidra
Process: Washed
Body: Medium
Acidity: Bright
Tasting notes: Florals, cane sugar, grape
Roast style: Omni

Varietals

Sidra varietal

Sidra (also known as Sydra or Bourbon Sidra) is a new hybrid varietal, made of Red Bourbon and Typica and combines characteristics of these two varieties. It has acquired the sweetness and the body of Red Bourbon and the bright taste and acidity of Typica.

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

The Loja region of Ecuador

Mountainous southern region with conditions suited perfectly to high quality coffee production

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.