Source: Brazil

Region: Cerrado

Variety: Mundo Novo, Yellow Catuai, Red Catuai, Acaia

Altitude: 915 to 1219 masl

Processed: Natural

Notes: Almond and dark chocolate

Background: Cerrado is a region in the state of Minas Gerais, the largest coffee-producing state in Brazil. Coffee has been a major crop in this region since the 1980’s mainly because of the devastating black frost of 1975 that forced growers from the Parana region to relocate north to Cerrado and other areas of Minas Gerais.

Today, coffee is produced by over 4,500 growers on 175,000 hectares of farmland with yields of approximately 5.5 to 6.0 million bags per year. The coffee is grown in rich soil that the natives call “Terra Roxa” or “Red Earth” and other factors such as consistent rains, high daytime temperatures, and dry winters combine to make the Cerrado region ideal for producing coffee.

Source:La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: Colombia

Region: Various smallholder farms

Variety: Castillo, Caturra, Columbia

Altitude: 1600-2100 masl (meters above sea level)

Processed: Decaf

Notes: Sweet and savory with citric acidity and graham cracker

Background: Coffees of any process (Washed, Natural, Honey, etc) can be processed for decaffeination. The decaffeination itself takes place after the coffee has been harvested, processed, and had its parchment layer removed; most of the time, coffees need to be sent to specific facilities to be decaffeinated, rather than having the caffeine removed at the mill level.

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: Colombia

Region: La Union, Narino

Variety: Caturra, Castillo, Colombia

Altitude: 1600 -2100 masl (meters above sea-level)

Processed: Washed

Notes: Cherry, honey, red apple, and tangerine

Background: The farmers pick their coffee during the day and de-pulp it in the afternoon, typically fermenting the lots for 16–24 hours dry. The coffees are generally washed two or three times before being dried either in small "casa elbas," mechanical dryers, or parabolic dryers. The mechanical drying takes between 25–40 hours, while the other drying structures can take up to 15 days.

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: El Salvador

Region: Santa Anna

Variety: Bourbon

Altitude: 1100 -1900 masl (meters above sea-level)

Processed: Washed

Notes: Almond, brown sugar, peach

Background: Santa Ana is one of the most famous coffee-growing regions of El Salvador, in the high mountain region around the Santa Ana volcano. This coffee represents the classic Washed Santa Ana profile and processing. The coffees are typically picked ripe in the morning hours, de-pulped in the afternoon, and fermented underwater for 8 hours. They are then washed once and typically spread on patios to dry for 8–10 days, weather permitting.

Source: La Bodega, Cafe Imports

Source: Ethiopia

Region: Cedeb, Yirgacheffe

Variety: Heirloom Ethiopian Varieties

Altitude: 2050 -2200 masl (meters above sea-level)

Processed: Washed

Notes: Apricot, floral, kiwi

Background: 

The Worka Cooperative in Worka operates the Halo Fafate Washing Station in Yirgacheffe, which serves around 900 smallholder farmers in the area. Coffee is typically grown on small garden-size plots and is used to supplement a family's income in addition to being grown for personal use. At this washing station, coffee is delivered in cherry form by producers, and it will be dried on raised beds. Coffees are then separated into "lots" of 150 bags of parchment coffee.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically traceable to the washing station level, where smallholder farmers—many of whom own less than 1/2 hectare of land, and as little as 1/8 hectare on average—deliver cherry by weight to receive payment at a market rate. The coffee is sorted and processed into lots without retaining information about whose coffee harvest is in which bag or which lot.

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: Guatemala

Region: Huehuetenango 

Variety: N/A

Altitude: 2100-2300

Processed: Washed

Notes: Brown sugar, lemon, plum

Background: The rugged terrain of the area has preserved the indigenous heritage, distinct clothing, and dialects that can vary from one mountain ridge to the next. ASOBAGRI has become an important bridge for these local coffee farmers to the international specialty coffee community. This cooperative is one of the most sophisticated and well organized in the world.  They have over 1,400 members, spread across 80 communities, who cultivate and harvest their own coffee on small farms with their own micro-mills. ASOBAGRI is also committed to promoting gender equality throughout the organization.

This lot called Café de Mujeres (Las Dueñas Café) is the culmination of an integrated program for 182 female members of ASOBAGRI. The program includes 5 women technicians providing training and technical support that is appropriately tailored to the needs of the members. Strategies like using coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers reduces the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar and creates an abundant source of plant nutrition that ensures better yields and quality. Income diversification investments in chicken farms, avocado trees and local cafeteria have also strengthened the options for women members.

Source:La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: Mexico 

Region: Chiapas

Variety: Bourbon, Typica, Catuai, Yellow Bourbon, Maracaturra, Maragogype, Catimor

Altitude: 900 - 1700 masl

Processed: Washed

Notes: Mild, brown sugar, and lemon

Background: Like many coffee-producing countries in Mesoamerica, Mexico's history with coffee traces back to the mid to late 18 century and is dominated by the white European invasion and colonization of the land. Coffee was not as popular a plantation crop in the earliest of days, as other products were more lucrative to produce, however, the beginning of the next century saw an influx of wealthy Europeans establishing large coffee farms, at with point the industry began to take off.  

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports

Source: Peru

Region: Chirinos, Cajamarca

Variety: Catimor, Caturra, Costa Rica, Typica, Bourbon

Altitude: 1550-1900 masl (meters above sea level)

Processed: Washed

Notes: Balanced, sweet, and soft with lime, chocolate, and praline flavors.

Background: Coffee arrived in Peru in the middle of the 18th century, but it wasn't commercialized for expert until almost the 20th century, when demand from Europe increased and production elsewhere dropped off. One turning point for the increase in exports was a settlement between the British and Peruvian governments, where Britain took control of nearly 2 million hectares of land as repayment for a defaulted loan: Must of that land became British-run coffee plantations. 

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports 

Source: Sumatra

Region: Aceh

Variety: Abyssinia, Ateng, Bor Bor, Catimor, Timor Hybrid

Altitude: 1900 -2200 masl (meters above sea-level)

Processed: Wet-Hulled

Notes: Savory and herbaceous with cocoa, fresh coffee cherry, and forest floor

Background: Sumatran coffees have long been distinct for their earthy, savory, somewhat vegetal or herbaceous characteristics, in part contributed by the climate and the mix of varieties grown, but also due to a specific post-harvest processing style called Wet-Hulling, or locally known as Giling Basah, which imparts many of the unique qualities these coffees have.

Source: La Bodega LLC, Cafe Imports