Francisco Morales and his wife have been the proud owners of La Esperanza farm in Cipresales for over 40 years. And they have achieved a great deal. As for many other producers, the initial years of starting their farm activities were very challenging ones. But thanks to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the family, the farm has grown into a business that provides income for the household and generates a source of employment for many others in the surrounding area. You can imagine that the name of the farm, which in English translates into “The Hope”, explains well how important coffee production is for them. Francisco is the type of person that never feels done learning new things. His eagerness to hear experiences from others, and try out new things at the farm, wet mill or drying area, makes that we feel excited to be working with him. His curiosity and interest for improving coffee quality resulted in winning several prizes the Huehuetenango Highland competitions. This year he dried the parchment coffee under shade nets, to improve the gradual process of drying and with the aim to enhance flavor and prolong shelf-life.

This lot comes to us through the efforts of Francisco as well as his son Elmer, who is in charge of the drying of the natural coffee.

This natural is carefully processed with special attention to the quality of the coffee. After mature cherries are harvested, the coffee is placed in clean water to separate out the floaters. Then, it’s carried to the drying beds and set to dry. The beds are located behind the house inside an enclosed structure.

Inside the structure, drying beds are stacked in 3 levels. As the coffee dries, it must be turned regularly to ensure even drying, but in addition, Elmer rotates the coffee beds between all 3 levels each day. This is because the top level dries more quickly. This process lasts 12-15 days, until the coffee is dried to export specifications.

Roast Profile: Light Roast

Producer: Francisco Morales

Farm:  La Eseranza

Region: San Antonio Huista, Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Variety: Caturra, Bourbon, Catuaí

Elevation: 1600 - 1700 masl

Process: Natural

Tasting Notes: Black Cherry, Strawberry Jam, Milk Chocolate, Gala Apple. Smooth