This natural process single variety coffee from the La Fila farm is a deliciously sweet all-rounder. When enjoyed as a black filter coffee it is refreshingly fruity with a rich ...
This natural process single variety coffee from the La Fila farm is a deliciously sweet all-rounder. When enjoyed as a black filter coffee it is refreshingly fruity with a rich mouthfeel and reminds us of passionfruit, stewed apricot and caramel. When drunk with milk, the fruitiness in this coffee turns in to milk chocolate and brown sugar.
Micro-Beneficio La Chumeca is a family-run specialty coffee producer in San Pablo, Tarrazú, Costa Rica, managed by Martín Ureña, who represents the fourth generation. The operation is small, with Martín’s two sons involved, and only two permanent non-family employees, Nicho and Kenny. During peak season, the workforce expands to include around 30 seasonal pickers. The company was established in 2014 with a focus on producing high-quality, eco-friendly coffee, exclusively using natural processing methods. They conduct fermentation experiments that began in 2016, using research from the Agronomic University of Costa Rica to refine their processes.
La Chumeca covers four farms—Chumeca, Fila, La Montañita, and Trinidad—spanning 10.5 hectares. The farms are managed with an emphasis on regenerative agriculture, including careful soil testing and the use of fruit trees for shade and pest control. The Ureña family prioritizes quality over expansion, aiming to maintain a balance between production volume and work-life quality. The business also includes roasting and brewing expertise, with Martín’s sons handling different aspects of the coffee process. La Chumeca’s efforts are characterized by a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and maintaining traditional family values in coffee production.
Catuai is a hybrid between Mundo Novo and Caturra. Developed in Brazil during the 1950s and 1960s, Catuai combines the best traits of its parent varieties. It inherits Caturra’s compact growth and Mundo Novo’s robust nature, offering resilience against strong winds and heavy rains. Catuai is available in both yellow (Yellow Catuai) and red (Red Catuai) variants, each with unique flavor profiles. It is cultivated extensively in Brazil and Central America, praised for its high productivity and resistance to adverse weather conditions. Catuai coffee is often characterized by its balanced acidity, sweetness, and pleasant mouthfeel, appealing to a broad range of coffee enthusiasts.
Natural process coffee, also known as dry process coffee, involves drying the whole coffee cherry with the fruit still intact. This method, traditionally used in arid climates, allows the sugars and flavors from the cherry to absorb into the bean, resulting in a coffee with a fuller body and enhanced sweetness. Natural process coffee is often characterized by fruity and wine-like flavors, with notes of berries or tropical fruits. While this process requires careful attention to prevent defects, it produces a complex and vibrant cup with pleasant fruity flavours.
This particular lot is harvested when the cherries are at a specific level of ripeness to give maximum sweetness. During harvest time on the farm, pickers measure the brix of the cherries and harvest them at 24 brix degrees to ensure consistency and quality. The cherries are then dried on African raised beds for 17 days and then they are rested for 2 months in a cellar before finally being dry milled before export.