Since 2010, Juan Peña has been at the forefront of specialty coffee in Ecuador. The work he has done on processing and agronomy has helped put his coffee on many world competition stages, has earned him several awards as a notable coffee producer, and led to his rise in prominence in the specialty coffee world. We are very excited to offer two lots grown at his farm, La Papaya, this season. 

La Papaya is located in Southern Ecuador in the Andes mountains. From the beginning, Juan has intended for La Papaya to be more than just a production farm. He sees La Papaya as a research center, employing agronomists, baristas, and farmers and providing formal employment for up to 40 people from the local community. They have focused on planting exclusive varieties, implementing the best systems, and meticulous processing. The entire farm uses drip irrigation systems. In 2009, Juan acquired seeds of Typica Mejorado, an F1 hybrid of an Ethiopian variety, from a breeding facility in Northern Ecuador. La Papaya has since maintained a batch of "mother plants" from these seeds that are used for reproduction, allowing for genetic purity on the farm. This variety, unique to Ecuador, is known to produce high yields and high cup quality.

The scientific approach to coffee production and processing at La Papaya has allowed them to continue growing. After years of learning about fermentation, Juan decided to experiment with different vessels. For this coffee, Lot #28, spent rum oak barrels were used for an anaerobic fermentation. The coffee cherries were placed in the barrels in a cool, dark room for 5 days. Humidity and temperature sensors and sugar meters were used to carefully monitor the fermentation process. When the desired level of fermentation was reached, the whole cherries were then moved to drying rooms for 28-30 days. In this process, we can see how coffee responds to different environments without changing the properties of the bean itself.

The results are a cup with a complex, satiny body, lingering notes of grape candy, plum, red fruit, and hints of nutmeg. We're excited to offer this lot that pushes the boundaries of experimentation. We recommend single, by-the-cup brew methods for this coffee. Get dialed in with a 1:16.5 brew ratio, filtered water at 204-206℉, a medium grind, and a 3-3.5 minute brew cycle.