Antonio and his wife, Eby Aracely Samayoa, have worked hard to fine-tune their processing practices in order to have the best possible product. Their dedication has helped take their coffee quality to the next level, and the results are in the cup!

W H A T  D O E S  T H E  F U T U R E  H O L D ?

In the future Antonio is interested in developing his agronomic practices. Antonio also wants to provide support to other producers in the region who can’t afford costly farm inputs. He wants to make the supplies accessible and more affordable for producers.

THOUGHTS FROM THE PRODUCER

“Together we take care of the environment in order to avoid any contaminations. Producing honeys and naturals is a very important way for us to improve our income and the wages for those who work for us. Production of these special coffees also allows us to know our product better,” says Antonio. “We really want to support our children so they are able to study in a university,” Antonio and Eby explain. 

A R C O I R I S P R O C E S S I N G N O T E S :

Antonio’s coffees are processed with utmost care and attention to detail at his mill, which is at 1200 meters – a bit lower than the farm where the plants grow, which means stronger sun and warmer days that are perfect for drying naturals. This year, with the weather a little cooler than usual, the mill’s location was key to ensuring good drying! Only the ripest cherries are selected for this lot, and once the cherries are picked they are placed in clean, sealed plastic bags in the shade. Antonio knows that fermentation begins soon after the cherries are harvested, and years of experience have taught him that the best results come when this process is carefully controlled and as uniform as possible. He allows this coffee to stay in bags overnight for a short fermentation of no more than 14 hours, and then early the next morning the coffee is prepared for drying. Antonio soaks the cherries in water to remove any dust or floaters (immature or malformed beans). Soaking the cherries also serves to lower the microbial count and homogenize the temperature of the cherries. They are then placed on raised beds to dry for about 20 days. When on raised beds, the cherries need to be turned frequently in order to ensure thorough and even drying. The cherries are turned four times a day while they are drying at regular intervals. Milling the dried pods is the final step, which occurs at our dry mill in Fraijanes under the watchful eye of our experienced mill team. Then, the coffee is sorted, bagged, and prepared for export!