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    Guatemala Blue Ayarza Carbonic Maceration (2022)

    Chocolate, apple juice, bubblegum, perfumed, IPA
    On Sale
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    Bag Weight 69 KG BAG
    Harvest Season 2021/22
    Status Spot
    Lot Number P8001808-2
    • Out of Stock Bag(s)
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    main product photo

    About This Coffee

    This special carbonic maceration lot was processed at our cherry mill in Ayarza, Santa Rosa. In Guatemala, coffee is traditionally processed individually by smallholder farmers, making it difficult to manage and guarantee quality form lot to lot. Our team in Ayarza works with numerous farmers in the region, paying a premium for ripe cherry and processing it centrally to maintain strict standards throughout.

    Arnaldo López (56) is one of the many producers we work with at Ayarza cherry mill and has been involved in coffee production business his entire life. His father took him into the field to plant coffee trees as a child. Now Arnaldo has five children of his own and the cultivation of coffee has provided a platform for the family to grow and improve their quality of life.

    Arnaldo farms 12.6ha of land and production has varied greatly over the years. Like many farmers in this current crop the volume is down compared to prior years. Two factors have driven this decrease - large crops from the year before and disease attacking some of the traditional varieties. The new varieties (Anacafe 14 and others) that are being planted have shown more production and disease resistance. Arnaldo has pushed through these adversities with the financial support of a livestock trade and an extra income from the small supply store run by his wife Alicia Trigueros.

    Origin Guatemala
    Subregion Ayarza, Santa Rosa
    Harvest Season 2021/22
    Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
    Wet Mill Ayarza Cherry Mill
    Growing Altitude 1600m - 2000m
    Plant Species Arabica
    Variety Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Anacafe 14
    Coffee Grade GTM CA WA SHB FANCY
    Bag Weight 69 KG BAG
    Bag Types Grain Pro / Ecotact

    The Region

    The region of Ayarza is a special one, landmarked by the drastic landscape and cold blue water from the Laguna de Ayarza and Laguna Azul. The lake was formed by two massive volcanos that collapsed and formed a large crater.
    The legends surrounding this lake are numerous and the bottom has never been found. There is a large white rock of a petrified woman who didn’t follow the orders of Jesus. In short, there are simply too many good stories about Ayarza to do it justice!

    Olam Guatemala always knew the region had massive potential to produce specialty coffee, but the cups that we found were usually solid but unsurprising. Two years ago we rented a wet mill at 1,500 meters on a RFA certified farm. The quality coming from our washed coffee was much better than we expected. Next we tried some naturals by buying cherry in Ayarza and transporting it to a region that had plenty of patios and good wind for drying. This has now been extended to include honey process alongside experimental lots.

    The Process

    Carbonic maceration is a wine-making technique that uses whole grapes instead of crushing. This process helps fermentation and produces a fruity, acidic wine. The same applies to coffee. The whole cherry is added to the fermentation tank and sealed from oxygen for the carbonic maceration process. 

    The coffee will ferment in the drum under anaerobic conditions. As the coffee ferments, the sugars are broken down by bacteria into carbon dioxide and alcohol. As more carbon dioxide is produced, the pressure within the system increases. A valve must be installed to allow for the excess pressure to be released without the addition of oxygen into the chamber. The valve is a simple tube that is put in a bottle of water, allowing carbon dioxide to release while keeping air from entering the system. Once the fermentation has reached a nice balance the coffee is dried on red clay patios until it reaches about 11% moisture. 

    • Subregion Ayarza, Santa Rosa
    • Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
    • Wet Mill Ayarza Cherry Mill
    • Bag Types Grain Pro / Ecotact
    • Plant Species Arabica
    • Variety Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Anacafe 14
    • Min Growing Altitude 1600m
    • Max Growing Altitude 2000m
    • On Sale Yes
    • Top Lot No
    • Price Per Kg £8.75
    • Status Spot
    • Coffee Grade GTM CA WA SHB FANCY
    • CTRM Contract Number P8001808-2
    • Origin Guatemala
    • Warehouse Vollers Group Uk