NDL | Nicaragua Dipilto La Roca
Classic Profile | Medium roast
Tasting Notes: Toasted Wheat, Herbal, Caramel
IT ALL STARTS AT THE COFFEE FARM
La Roca is produced by 40 small scale coffee farmers located in the Cordillera del Dipilto, a nature reserve with incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna. It's located very close to the border with Honduras, in the Nueva Segovia region of Nicaragua.
This area is popular for the annual Fiesta de la Virgen de Guadalupe, which locals and people from many regions come together to celebrate. The festival is named after the Virgen de la Piedra, a sacred monument on a famous large rock at Dipilto - and this rock is where this coffee, La Roca, got its name!
La Roca producers are skilled in agronomic practices and producing specialty coffee, which has earned Dipilto coffee international recognition. Dipilto growers have mastered their craft over generations, combining traditional knowledge with modern techniques. Many farmers have received international acclaim, won the Cup of Excellence, or placed in the top 10 of the competition, making the region highly recognized and valued. They care for their coffee crops and use their knowledge of the region's optimal growing conditions to produce exceptional-quality coffee.
Coffee Process
La Roca producers have perfected the art of processing time, fermentation and agronomic management. Each day, carefully picked cherries, harvested at their peak of ripeness, are immediately pulped with motorized pulpers in each producer's micro-mill. The pulped coffee, still covered by its mucilage layer, is then placed in tanks where it ferments for an average of 32 to 36 hours. If the temperature is higher during the harvest season, the fermentation times could drop to 24 hours. Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is thoroughly washed before being transported in clean polypropylene bags to Caravela's La Estrella dry mill or "beneficio seco" in Spanish.
In this facility, the wet parchment undergoes a careful drying process of 12-15 days or two weeks. Each lot is assigned a unique ID number that allows us to track and trace its journey from delivery to export. Through this ID number, growers can receive valuable feedback and monitor their payment for each lot delivered during the harvest season.
Coffee is a source of pride and a shared heritage within the community. Dipilto's coffee producers are committed to sustainable farming practices and understand the importance of preserving the environment for future generations. They prioritize environmentally friendly methods and promote biodiversity on their farms. Aside from working with coffee, the producers dedicate themselves to the crops of other agricultural producers, such as beans, corn, jocotes (tropical plum), and flowers; they have other businesses to diversify their income.
TRACEABILITY
PRODUCER
Various smallholders
MILL / WASHING STATION
PROCESSING
Washed
ALTITUDE
1250 - 1500 meters
DID YOU KNOW
Specialty coffee is what makes Dipilto such a well-known area - conditions like elevation, soil and microclimates make this community ideal for exceptional coffees.
PRICE TRANSPARENCY
$3.81
Price paid by Driftaway
$2.97
Free on Board price
$2.37
Farm Gate price
$1.88
Fair Trade price per pound
June 23: $1.68
Coffee C-Market price per pound
$0.05
Driftaway's World Coffee Research contribution per pound
This coffee travelled 3,595 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?
Coffee from this group of farmers in Nicaragua has been a good addition in the Classic profile before, but the sweetness is off the charts this year!
AVERAGE CUPPING SCORE
86.25
/100
86.25
SCAA Cupping Score
15 x 70 kg
Bags purchased
2 years
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 July 17 to August 16 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.