Cafeólogo

Sibactel

Members of the Cafeólogo team immersed themselves in the communities at San Pedro and Sibactel, learning the local Mayan dialects, understanding each farmer’s practices, their challenges and their needs. They also surveyed some of the more technical aspects of the land here, identifying potential pest and disease problems, and sequencing the varietals they found on each farm. Through this, they were able to present each farmer with a package of agronomic support. In the intervening years, they have built up trust within these groups, and handed over much of the control of the project to them. Cafeólogo, seeing the value of each farmer’s high quality cherry, pay the same price as for a high quality parchment coffee, so their income is not reduced, but their cost of production and level of risk is. This allows them to focus on the agronomical aspects of coffee production, with support from Cafeólogo on topics such as coffee physiology, nutrition, pests and diseases, organic practices and vitally, their own quality control. This particular lot from the Sibactel mill was processed using a washed method, creating a very clean and clear representation of the terroir here.

This lot is a mix of Bourbon, Caturra, and the native Mexican cultivar Garnica, grown by Petrona Pérez and Samaria López. Often small groups of neighbours, with such small farm sizes, share resources and deliver cherry to the wet mills together. This lot is an excellent example of the potential here, when combined with Jesús’ processing expertise. Fresh citrus aromatics follow through into the cup, giving a fresh and juicy feel, balanced by a deep honey sweetness.