Mexican FT Org. Altura Oaxaca – CEPCO – Washed Processed

Description

The aggregate Mexican coffees have been lovely this year and this new lot will not disappoint. A real nice co-op in the heart of classic Mexican coffee growing territory (way far south compared to Terruno Nayarita).

Mexican coffee is often overlooked for cheap grades which were commonly on the market for so long had a more ashy quality to the cup. In recent years and with a lot of hard work, Mexican specialty lots have become clean and balanced, nice strong chocolaty tones with floral acidity which often co-mingles into a nice caramel nutty note. Sometimes one can still see a little earthier note mixing in, a positive when done on purpose and to the right contrast.

Tasting Notes: Shines at a medium to dark roast, low acidity, medium bodied with a clean and sweet edge. Light roasts will work for some, but will come off a bit more dry nutty with a citric edge, the cup builds really nice chocolaty tones with a hint of caramel and floral as one pushes into the medium roast range, a cup everyone would like. Darker roasts get pretty bold and also bring out a stronger nutty tone balanced with smoky bakers chocolate, medium bodied and low acidity.

Roasting Notes: Easy to roast, nice screen of coffee and a little larger beans than normal. The coloring is predictable to the cracks. A slight sheen on the surface when pushing towards a strong medium roast – a good roast when in doubt. A couple day set-up before drinking helps smooth the sharper edge to the cup at lighter roasts.

Imagine starting at sea level in the popular Mexican beach destination of Puerto Escondido and traveling along progressively steeper and curvier roads through villages, where the local population still wears traditional indigenous clothing, eventually arriving at a lush tropical forest intercropped with coffee, bananas, corn, beans, fruit trees, and views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance below. This is the Oaxacan coffee growing region where the Sierra Madre del Sur coastal mountain range is peppered with small family farms, each consisting of just a few acres of land. Producers here continue to identify with their indigenous roots using organic practices to manage their farms and protect their environment. They harvest cherries, then depulp, ferment, wash, and dry the coffee using their own micro-mills.

While these producers are their own architects, designing farm management and post-harvest solutions to fit their needs, they need strong alliances to bring their coffee to the international market and earn fair prices. In Oaxaca, more than 4,000 producers from 134 communities and 45 producer associations have consolidated their efforts into an umbrella cooperative called Coordinadora Estatal de Productores de Café del Estado de Oaxaca (CEPCO), which carries out activities that are often overlooked but crucial to small producers.

For example, CEPCO has helped producers gain access to credit and certifications. CEPCO has also led the leaf rust recovery effort, helping thousands of producers renovate their farms and increase their production of organic fertilizers. Investments for basic infrastructure needs, like road improvements, establishing local warehouses, and dry-mill facilities are also coordinated through CEPCO. Their collective efforts have established higher prices and more producer income to support best agricultural practices and an improved livelihood.