Description
Finca Humana (the Human Farm) is the first thing you will hear about Café Organico Marcala, S.A. (COMSA) if you make your way to visit this cooperative in Marcala, Honduras. The wellbeing of humans is foundational to the COMSA philosophy and educating more than 1,500 producer-members to successfully live in harmony with nature is everywhere at COMSA. It starts with the La Fortaleza, the COMSA biodynamic demonstration farm where the focus of transferring knowledge takes place through week- long seminars called Pata de Chucho (pawprints left by a stray dog), which aptly reveals COMSA’s dogged exploration for human productivity in harmony with nature.
The trailblazing ideas for using organic matter to productively cultivate high quality coffee is only a sliver of what COMSA teaches about the power of nature through the Finca Humana philosophy. COMSA dedicates significant funding from the proceeds of coffee sales to run a cutting-edge international school dedicated to filling children’s minds with possibility and training them to be the future leaders of Finca Humana.
What makes it so good? The fundamentals: traceability to the Marcala region, which is a protected designation of origin (DENOMINACION DE ORIGEN CAFE DE MARCALA); meticulous post-harvest hand sorting of cherry; cherry floating to remove less dense beans; proper fermentation; long drying times; and a healthy dose of the COMSA philosophy and training.
Tasting Notes: This cup is nice and chocolaty, lower acidity and medium bodied. A little sweeter edge to it except for super dark roasts. Besides a chocolaty factor one will get some nutty/caramel/floral like tones at the medium to dark roast points, gives it some nice complimenting depth without being too exotic. We all thought it was at its best right around a full city – smooth without too much of a roasty note and great chocolaty tones.
Roasting Notes: Easy to roast but will roast two-toned. Medium to low chaff. This is an aggregate production coffee which includes multiple strains and pickings. Produces a long first crack and the finished product will have beans in the medium-dark roast range. This is what helps it achieve a full flavored and balanced cup, the slightly lighter beans push out a little floral sweetness, the dark beans provide the rich semi-sweet chocolate tones. An easy and tasty roast point is just touching 2nd crack.
Matthew Buenrostro (verified owner) –
This makes a great cuppa. I’m waiting for it to come back big time!
erivers (verified owner) –
Consisently some of the finest single origin coffee ever purchased! My customers, family, and neighbors ask for COMSA from Honduras more often than even my personal favorites from the East of Africa.
Trinity Homewood (verified owner) –
This coffee was okay. Pretty basic Central American flavor and aroma. Not sure I’d order it again but there’s nothing wrong with it.
Kimberly Delacruz –
Amazing. I have ordered this before when I first started roasting and I am excited to see this back. It is one of my favorites
terry3067 (verified owner) –
Easy to roast, good balanced flavor.
Lazy Lyon Coffee (verified owner) –
Hefty body with molasses and caramel sweetness, smooth with nice chocolate tones. Very Good! Stopped the roast just prior to the second crack.
John Mitchell (verified owner) –
Did 2 roasts of 8oz each. Pulled 1 at start of second crack, 445 degrees and one sooner, 435 degrees. Darker was better, but both tasted great. Not as much chocolatey taste on lighter one. Could taste more caramel on lighter.
Michael Mathis (verified owner) –
I performed two roasts @ 8oz each with a SR800. W/L was 14.5% & 14.8%. I call this a solid City+. Clever Dripper/205°F@4min/Fellow Opus 7.75 setting. This stuff is delicious. I’m ordering more.