GLV | Guatemala Los Volcanes
Bold Profile | Medium-dark roast | Green label
Tasting Notes: Baking Spices, Cocoa, Black Tea
IT ALL STARTS AT THE COFFEE FARM
Two small-scale coffee growers produced Los Volcanes: Aurora Josefina Villatoro and Leandro Matio Sanchez. Our importing partner Caravela shared some background information about Aurora:
Aurora Villatoro runs Santa Cecilia, a 1.74-hectare (4 acre) farm in La Libertad, Huehuetenango. She inhertited the farm years ago, and at the time of taking ownership, locals suggested that the best option would be to sell the land as she would struggle to manage it.
However, after listening to several opinions and analyzing the opportunity, Aurora decided to ignore the underlying sexism and take over the responsibility of farm management. Aurora knew she was a capable woman and could learn to manage the farm over time and so she started by planting small new plots. As the time went by, she achieved some great results, and this gave her more confidence in herself and her decision to run the farm. As demand grew for her coffee, she gradually ended up planting the entire area with Bourbon and Caturra varieties.
Aurora shares that her plans for the farm are focused on producing high-quality coffee. She has constant training and technical support so that the production for each harvest is always better than the previous year.
The soils on which both Aurora Josefina Villatoro and Leandro Matio Sanchez grow their coffee are known as "Andosols" and are excellent for plant root development, water retention, and resistance to drought. These producers over time have managed to take advantage of the volcanic material found in the soil to produce high quality coffee and nutritious vegetables, creating a balance that benefits their family economy and provides additional sources of income.
Leandro Matio Sanchez
TRACEABILITY
PRODUCER
Aurora Josefina Villatoro and Leandro Matio Sanchez
MILL / WASHING STATION
On farm
PROCESSING
Washed
ALTITUDE
1200 - 1700 meters
DID YOU KNOW
Volcanic soils, predominantly composed of tephra, result from the expulsion of volcanic particles (ash) and rocky fragments from a volcano during eruptions, which subsequently descend to the ground. Gradually, the tephra undergoes decomposition, giving rise to what we refer to as volcanic soil.
PRICE TRANSPARENCY
$4.52
Price paid by Driftaway
$3.11
Free on Board price
$2.50
Farm Gate price
$1.79
Fair Trade price per pound
$1.59
Coffee C-Market price per pound
$0.05
Driftaway's World Coffee Research contribution per pound
This coffee travelled 3,244 miles to the Driftaway Coffee roastery in Queens.
Love the coffee? You can share your compliments & tasting observations with the farmers.
WHY DID WE SELECT THIS COFFEE?
It's rare that we have a coffee from Guatemala in the Bold profile, but the balance of spices, cocoa, and black tea makes Los Volcanes perfect for this darker roast level.
AVERAGE CUPPING SCORE
84.25
/100
84.25
SCAA Cupping Score
15 x 70 k
Bags purchased
1 year
Length of producer relationship
100% (in 2022)
Transparent coffees purchased
HOW DID WE ROAST THIS COFFEE?
This coffee is being roasted by Ian T. from August 13 to September 6 in Brooklyn. We use the Loring Kestrel roaster for this profile. We have strict guidelines for each of the coffee profiles, and this roast has to pass the development time ratio test as measured in real-time by the roasting software, Cropster. Once it does, it is approved for production.
QUALITY CONTROL
We perform Quality Control via a process of coffee tasting called cupping on all of our production roasts once a week at our roastery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Each cupping is conducted by James M. and Ian T. using standard equipment, and is logged by our Q-certified cupper Ian T. All coffees are evaluated on a scoring scale of 0 to 3.
- 3.0 = exceptional roast - exceeds expectations
- 2.5 = on par with profile - matches expectations
- 2.0 = good roast, but 1 or 2 elements could be improved - needs improvement
- 1.5 or lower = failed - do not ship
PRODUCTION AND SHIPPING
Less than 24 hours after roasting, we bag your coffee in our production facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Our production team is led by Anthony and Torie, and supported by a rotating cast of local artists, musicians and independent professionals.
AT YOUR HOME
Brew this coffee with your favorite home brewer and enjoy the taste of incredible coffee! Here are a few tips on how to make the best coffee on each brewer.
View other posts about how to make better coffee at home on our blog Coffeecademy.
