In Praise of Mexican Microlot Coffee

 

Dear Patient Reader,

With Ethiopia experiencing civil war and extended drought conditions, I began to search for coffees that might be able to match the quality I have enjoyed for years at Vivace. Coffees from the Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harrar, and Guji regions of Ethiopia have been unmatched for flavor intensity, body, notes of blueberry, and a savory quality that emerges in our roast when prepared as espresso.

 

I have been terrified that Ethiopian coffee might be unavailable in the not too distant future.  Thanks to the efforts of Luis Gomez Andere of Chiapas Mexico, salvation has appeared in the Mexican micro-lot farms in the region. (Luis company is Roasters Warehouse Trading Company).

Luis explained to me that leaf rust had decimated many larger Central and South American coffee farms. However smaller farms were able to hand trim affected parts of the plant saving the farms. This small, focused way of farming also produces very high quality in the cup.  Individual attention by the farmers to soil composition, proper water management, and unique processing gives them an edge over massive farms located throughout the Americas.

 

In fact, Ethiopian farmers made a trip to the Chiapas region to study the processing methods employed by these small farms.

 

Here are our tasting notes for some of these coffees offered on Sundays at Vivace’s single origin program…

 

 

 

 Estate  Huehuetepan ,

 

Processed with Anaerobic Fermentation, a process of sealing the coffee cherries in an air tight container while fermentation of the mucilage of the cherry occurs, imparting (hopefully) pleasing notes to the coffee after drying.  The farm is located in Veracruz Mexico.  When prepared as espresso it features a medium body with active citrus notes and a pleasing caramel.

 

 

 

Mexican Pacamara

 

Grown at Finca Muxbal on the slopes of an active volcano, (Tacana) at 4060 meters asl. Espresso featured a medium body with notes of nutmeg up front, a caramel umami, and light stone fruit in the finish. Very unique coffee…

 

Mexican Bourbon Pointu

 

A bourbon is a sub-species of coffea arabica which originated on Bourbon Island, (renamed Reunion Island). Pointu refers to the shape of these tiny coffee beans. A unique note of black pepper combined with a effervescent cola sweetness, makes this one of the most interesting coffees we have offered. Lower caffeine content compared to most arabicas offers and easy drinkability and reduces bitterness.