Decaf
Our seasonal coffees each come with their own story, which is part of what makes them so special. Here we take a closer look at the story of the producers behind this coffee.
FINCA EL TAMBOR
Victor Calderon bought Finca El Tambor at the beginning of 2001 with the aim of moving out of Robusta cultivation (in which his family had previously specialised) and into Arabica.
He was so committed to this vision that he sold his house and car in exchange for El Tambor, and upon signing the documents immediately set about renovating the coffee plots, expanding areas under coffee and improving the farm’s small wet mill.
Victor now manages the farm with 8 people who are in charge of their own specific areas and duties. All employees have permanent residence on the farm, and 10% of the farm is given over to the workers to produce their own vegetables. Nearly half the farm has been left under forest, which is set aside entirely as conservation area. In addition to the farm’s permanent workers, approximately 25 seasonal pickers are employed for the harvest.
FINCA LOS HUMITOS
In the southern reaches of the country is the Amatitlán municipality. Lake Amatitlán glistens here and the Pacaya volcano towers high above the many villages throughout this region. One of which is Los Humitos, the origin of this coffee.
The farm Finca Los Humitos was originally owned by Dr. Rodolfo Castillo, but was sold to Seo Hee Holding, S.A after his passing. The soils here are rich with volcanic material thanks to the many volcanoes in the region, making it an ideal area to grow coffee.
At Los Humitos, Bourbon, Catimor, Caturra, Catuaí grow along the slopes, with new plots of Anacafé 14.
Carbon Dioxide Decaffeination
The raw, unroasted coffee is moistened with water and put into a vessel where it is brought into contact with pressurised, liquid carbon dioxide. By circulation through the coffee, the carbon dioxide draws the caffeine out of the bean. In an evaporator, the caffeine precipitates out from the CO2 which, after evaporation and re-condensation, is pumped again into the vessel containing the coffee for a new cycle. When the required residual caffeine level is reached, the CO2 circulation is stopped, and the coffee is discharged into a drier where it is gently dried until it reaches the original moisture content. The coffee is then ready for roasting.
sourcing coffee
Our Coffee Broker
For over ten years we have worked closely with Mercanta. They pay a fair price for coffee, empowering the growers they work with. Such is our faith in their commitment to supporting farmers that we now purchase 100% of our coffee through Mercanta.
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