Pablo’s Processing
Pablo, along with a team of pickers, harvests only the ripest cherries. Then, the cherries are placed in the sorting area at El Obraje farm, where the sorting team hand-sorts and floats them to remove any low-density, underripe, or defective cherries.
Once sorted, the cherries undergo a 30-hour underwater fermentation, a critical step that enhances the coffee’s flavor profile. This controlled fermentation carried by Pablo follows the Cofinet’s protocol. This controlled fermentation process allows the sugars, organic acids, and other compounds within the cherries to break down gradually, stimulating the development of delicate yet interesting profile.
The 30-hour fermentation period is carefully calibrated to strike the perfect balance between developing flavor complexity and preserving the coffee’s inherent qualities. This results in a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity, giving our washed coffees a bright and lively character. After fermentation, the cherries are pulped, and the mucilage is thoroughly washed away. Once coffees are washed they are spread out on raised beds. The team monitors them closely to ensure even drying and optimal quality. We aim for 9.5% -11% moisture content, which is the perfect point for us.
Gesha
Gesha is one of the most celebrated and sought-after coffee varieties in the world. Renowned for its exceptional cup profile, this variety has consistently won prestigious coffee competitions and commanded record-breaking prices at auctions. Its journey from the remote forests of Ethiopia to the lush coffee farms of Latin America, particularly Panama and Colombia, is a tale of discovery, perseverance, and innovation.
The story of Gesha begins in the 1930s in the Gori Gesha Forest of Ethiopia, where the variety was first discovered. In 1936, seeds were collected and sent them to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania. From there, the seeds made their way to the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Costa Rica in the 1950s, where they were catalogued as part of a broader effort to study and preserve coffee genetics.
Gesha’s potential was not immediately recognized. For many years, it was grown as a rust-resistant variety, rather than for its cup quality, also, some farmers stopped planting it due to fragile branches. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the variety gained international acclaim. In 2004, the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama discovered the unique flavour profile of Gesha when they planted it at high altitudes.
