MMA | Mexico Oaxaca Monte Alban
Classic Profile | Medium roast
Tasting Notes: Baking Spices, Nutty, Brown Sugar
IT ALL STARTS AT THE COFFEE FARM
Monte Alban is the 1000-year-old Zapotec ruin visible from the coffee farms that are hidden in the mountains surrounding the site. Coffee growers from this region have been producing coffee for more than three generations in a very traditional and mostly organic way.
Our importer partner Caravela has been working with these very small communities to help them certify their farms and add value to their product. The organic farmers who contribute to Monte Alban primarily rely on coffee cultivation as their main source of income. In addition to growing coffee, many farmers migrate to the coast in the off-season months where they grow corn or raise cattle.
With this group, Caravela started in 2018 with 55 independent organic farmers, initially in the Sierra Sur de Oaxaca. Over time, and as they launched and strengthened their Growers Education Program, or PECA in Spanish, across the state, they expanded their reach to more remote communities such as Los Naranjos, Tierra Blanca, Malvarisco, San Pedro Pochutla, and Santa María Ozolotepec. In 2019, the program had exponential growth and reached 245 partner farmers, including coffee communities such as Lagunilla, Loma Canela, Ozolotepec, San Antonio Xanagua, San Antonio Ozolotepec, San Marcial Ozolotepec and San Antonio Guivini, amongst others.
Today, 100% of the farmers are certified organic and rely on traditional farming methods and processing, do not use chemicals, and produce their own organic compost. For them, farming is a heritage rooted in generational knowledge and shaped by their unique culture and identity as farmers. This certification is financed by Caravela and is free of charge for all associated farmers, allowing farmers to enter the specialty coffee market and obtain better prices.
Monte Alban farmer drying coffee
Farmers of Monte Alban
Coffee tree, Monte Alban
TRACEABILITY
COUNTRY
Mexico
PRODUCER
Several smallholder producers
PROCESSING
Washed
ALTITUDE
1200 - 2100 meters
IMPORTER
Caravela
DID YOU KNOW
Because Oaxaca is a state with a diverse culture and traditions, farmers in this group speak Mixtec, Zapotec, Mazatec, and Spanish languages.
PRICE TRANSPARENCY
$3.55
Price paid by Driftaway
Not applicable
Free on Board price
$2.90
Farm Gate price
$2.04
Fair Trade price per pound
$1.84
Coffee C-Market price per pound
$0.05
Driftaway's World Coffee Research contribution per pound
This coffee travelled 2,763 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?
This coffee from Oaxaca makes for a delicious and complex medium roast. It develops brown sugar sweetness and nutty base notes while maintaining the complexity in the form of baking spices. It's truly an exceptional coffee from an exceptional Mexican coffee growing region.
AVERAGE CUPPING SCORE
85.25
/100
85.25
SCAA Cupping Score
15 x 70 kg
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 May 21st to June 14th 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 from home as per our Covid-19 shelter in place guidelines. Each cupping is conducted by our roasting staff Kieran D. 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.