VICTORIANA RAMIREZ - CATURRA, WASHED - GUATEMALA

Description

HELM INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES VICTORIANA RAMIREZ - CATURRA, WASHED QUINCE JELLY RASPBERRY BUTTERSCOTCH LEMON VERBENA ORIGIN: HUEHUETENANGO, GUATEMALA FARM: TZUNWITZ, CANTÓN UNIÓN, CONCEPCIÓN HUISTA PRODUCER: VICTORIANA RAMÍREZ VARGAS DE SALUCIO ALTITUDE: 1610 MASL VARIETY: CATURRA PROCESS: WASHED ROAST DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 FROM THE ROASTER TZUNWITZ IS A 0.9-HECTARE FARM AT 1,610 METERS IN CANTÓN UNIÓN, CONCEPCIÓN HUISTA, IN GUATEMALA'S HUEHUETENANGO HIGHLANDS, WHERE COFFEE GROWS UNDER THE SHADE OF CHALUM AND GREVILLEA TREES. IT BEGAN IN 2000 WITH ABOUT A QUARTER HECTARE OF INHERITED FAMILY LAND. VICTORIANA RUNS THE FARM, FROM THE WET PROCESSING SHE HAS MANAGED SINCE THE EARLY YEARS TO THE DAY-TO-DAY SUPERVISION SHE HANDLES NOW, WITH HER BROTHER-IN-LAW ON AGRONOMY. WHEN COFFEE LEAF RUST TORE THROUGH THE PLANTATION IN 2017 AND COST THEM THE HARVEST, THEY CUT OUT THE WORST-AFFECTED TREES THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND PRUNED THE REST BACK TO HEALTH. THE WHOLE FARM PRODUCES ABOUT 916 KILOGRAMS IN AN AVERAGE YEAR. THIS IS COFFEE AT THE SMALLEST, MOST PERSONAL SCALE THERE IS. QUINCE JELLY LEADS: A DENSE ORCHARD-FRUIT SWEETNESS THAT SITS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BAKED APPLE AND ROSE. RASPBERRY BRIGHTENS THE MIDDLE OF THE CUP WITH A TART RED-FRUIT LIFT, AND A BUTTERSCOTCH DEPTH CARRIES THE SWEETNESS UNDERNEATH IT, ROUNDER AND DARKER THAN PLAIN CARAMEL. THE FINISH IS LEMON VERBENA, AN HERBAL CITRUS THAT READS MORE LIKE FRAGRANCE THAN ACIDITY AND KEEPS THE CUP FROM EVER FEELING HEAVY. STRUCTURED, SWEET, AND CLEAN: CLASSIC HUEHUETENANGO, WITH THE FRUIT TURNED UP. EVERY HARVEST, THE FAMILY MOVES INTO A RANCHITO, A TEMPORARY HOUSE AMONG THE TREES, SO THEY CAN PICK AND DEPULP ON SITE AND RETURN THE PULP TO THE PLOTS AS ORGANIC FERTILIZER. CHERRIES ARE WASHED TO FLOAT OFF DIRT AND UNDERRIPES, DEPULPED, AND SORTED BY HAND. THE COFFEE THEN FERMENTS FULLY SUBMERGED IN WATER OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT DAY, UNTIL THE MUCILAGE RELEASES. AFTER A FINAL WASH, VICTORIANA SPREADS THE PARCHMENT ON TARPS IN FULL SUN AND TURNS IT PERIODICALLY FOR THE THREE TO FOUR DAYS IT TAKES TO DRY.