Bolivia
Roxana Chambi

This lot features the unique Red Catuai variety, a cross of Caturra and Mundo Novo developed by Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (Brazil) in 1972.

Washed process Red Catuai

Flavour: maple syrup, papaya, cacao

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

San Lorenzo is a farm owned and operated by Roxana Chambi in the Caranavi province of La Paz. It was founded in 2019. The 5-hectare farm sits at about 1550 masl. Coffee is picked by hand and dried naturally under the sun to the desired moisture content.

A portrait of Roxana in the farm.

Roxana’s dog.

Farmers working in Roxana’s coffee farm.

Roxana and a worker on the mountain slopes surrounded by coffee trees.

Cafe Imports microlot program

For the first time in a decade, Cafe Imports traveled to Bolivia with new relationships and a renewed focus on discovery in the 2021-22 harvest, working with Felix Chambi. Felix is a pioneer in Bolivian specialty coffee, having the only SCA-certified sensory lab in the country called Lata 16. With Felix, they cup lots from the La Paz departments, specifically in the La Asunta and Caranavi municipalities.

Many farmers in this area are committed to building the infrastructure and knowledge to produce specialty coffees. Cafe Imports are excited to continue our sourcing efforts in Bolivia, discovering new cups and bringing these coffees to market.

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: Roxana Chambi
Farm/Coop: Finca San Lorenzo
Country: Bolivia
Region: La Paz
Altitude: 1550m above sea level
Variety: Red Catuai
Process: washed
Harvested: October 2024
Importer: Cafe Imports
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Maple syrup, papaya, cacao
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

The location

Coffee from Bolivia

Historically, Bolivia has not been as popular as its neighbouring countries in terms of exports, but coffee has been present since the 19th century.

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.