For all coffees we buy we have an extensive description with background information about the farm or partner where the coffee is sourced.
We roast several times a week and keep limited stock of roasted coffee to guarantee freshness.
Coffee can be stored for years, however, the best results are achieved between about two and eight weeks after roasting. That’s why we don’t mention an expiry date, but a roasting date on the bottom of our bags.
The Sakami farm is creating “agroforestry” by intercropping macadamia trees between coffee, protecting all indigenous trees in and around the farm, protecting the wetland by not interfering on it, leaving natural bush sections in and around the coffee trees, having beehives around the farm, and avoiding the use of pesticides or herbicides. All “waste” such as coffee pulp and macadamia husks are fed to earth worms and worm castings are returned back to field as manure or used to make foliar feed. Water from pulping and washing the coffee is treated in a settling pond with lime and then used to irrigate the pasture below the ponds. Next to all this, Sakami uses mineral fertilizers to replace the nutrients taken away when harvesting cherries.
Region
Trans Nzoia County
Plantation
Sakami Estate
Altitude
1.800
Plant variety
Batian
Process
Washed
Tasting notes
blackcurrant, dark chocolate & plum
When Pepe Davila and Celestinda Valdivia got engaged 28 years ago they also decided to give coffee-growing a chance, which in those years was not as common. Neither of them came from coffee-growing families. They had seen in neighbouring communities how well it grew and the market it had. So Pepe asked his brother for a 0.5 hectare of land where they planted their first coffee plants. Years later, Celestinda and Pepe had 6 children who were taught to grow coffee. These days, 4 of their children have their respective families and coffee represents their main source of income for all of them. In addition to coffee, the family also grows cane sugar to produce “yonque”, a strong alcohol that is very popular in the north of the country. They produce 25 “botijas” (approx. 35 litres per “botija”, 875 litres in total!) a year which are sold to neighbouring communities and provinces.
Pepe and Celestinda now have 3 acres of land, where they have planted a mix of Yellow and Red Caturra. This lot is a washed lot. The coffee cherries are handpicked and floated after picking. After pulping the coffee goes through 48 hours of wet fermentation and is then dried in black tents for 18 – 25 days depending on weather conditions.
This coffee is nice and sweet, with flavours of caramel, nougat & rasin.
Region
Sector El Campo, Cajamarca
Plantation
Pepe Davila
Altitude
2.000
Plant variety
Yellow & Red Caturra
Process
Washed
Tasting notes
caramel, vanilla & honey
@fazendacalifornia
Quality and consistency. It’s not easy when you’re a farmer, with changing weather and different circumstances on a yearly or even seasonal basis, to match the exact same flavor profile as last year. It might even be impossible. For this reason, the team of Q-graders of Capricornio Coffees cup all the coffees of the more than a dozen partner fazendas and farmer groups, grade them according to their flavor and quality, and then make farmer blends, solely based on taste. For example, the Dulce Signature blend is described as dark chocolate, with a sweet and round thick body. One year, this might consist of more coffee from Fazenda Terra Preta and less from Sítio Teixeira. The year after, this might be the other way around.
Farm composition in the coffee bag might change, but the farms don’t sit still themselves either. Being part of Capricornio’s 4 Seasons Project, they get free agronomical support, with an agronomist visiting them every 60 days. Together, they look at plant and soil health and do soil measurements, that are used to advice on which parts of the farms need extra attention. It’s high-end knowledge and solid partnership to provide a sustainable future.
Since 2017, we have been working with the Dulce blend and they have since proven to be the stable factor for many cafe’s. It comes with its own traceability report, so we know in detail which farms contributed to which blend, year after year.
The cup profile gives us everything we want in a good Brazilian coffee: good body and sweetness, mild acidity and heavy chocolate and nutty flavours without any fruit notes. A true crowd pleaser.
Region
Plantation
Altitude
– 900
Plant variety
Yellow Catuaí, Mundo Novo, Obatã.
Process
Pulped natural
Tasting notes
Walnut & chocolate
The name Aquiares means “land between rivers” in the Huetar indigenous language, and Aquiares is commonly referred to as “Aquiares Coffee and Community.” It is the largest farm in Costa Rica and home to 1,800 people. Although the farm was founded in 1890, Alfonso Robelo is the man responsible for its transformation a century later. Alfonso arrived in Costa Rica in the 1980’s seeking refuge from the civil war in Nicaragua, where he was politically active. When politics soured into violence, he fled the country to keep his family and himself safe after receiving several threats against his life. Once in Costa Rica, Alfonso began building the Aquiares community on the enchanting slopes of the Turrialba volcano, a lush area of forests, rivers, fauna, and bright flora.
Alfredo challenged the status quo, transforming the relationship between landowner and farm workers. He brought a visionary approach to Aquiares, a farm suffering from low prices and instability. Aquiares had more than 200 employee homes on the farm, but because none owned their home, there was great insecurity in the workforce. Alfonso saw this as an opportunity to strengthen the company by having people feel pride in the coffee they produce. He evolved the farm into a small town where workers purchased their own homes. Today, Aquiares remains a model of sustainable agriculture.
Nowadays Alfonso’s son, Diego, manages the farm. Under his lead, the farm has taken a fresh approach to specialty coffee and exploring the farm’s potential. Through excellent agricultural management, embracing new varieties, and experimenting with processing, Aquiares has become a trailblazer among specialty coffee producers in Costa Rica and all of Central America.
Aquiares focuses on carbon neutrality and measures its greenhouse gas emissions to calculate its carbon emissions against its offsets. An agent verified under International Panel on Climate Change norms verifies these calculations and Aquiares’ carbon measurement and emissions reduction are part of Costa Rica’s Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action. In addition to capturing carbon, the farm’s protected biological corridors have long ensured the wellbeing of local animals and plants. Aquiares also welcomes researchers from around the world to conduct agricultural and environmental studies on their land. Projects have included investigating the benefits of agroforestry on soil health and observing the diverse bird and wildlife species that thrive in an agroecological environment.
Aquiares is an example of innovation and perseverance whose benefits extend beyond the farm and workers and serve as a model for sustainable, equitable production for the broader coffee industry.
We currently have two lots from Aquiares Estate;
CentroamericanoNatural Anaerobic lot
Centroamericano H1 is an F1 hybrid variety generated by crossing the Sarchimor T-5296 and a wild Rume Sudan variety. It is reproduced through a tissue culture cloning process called somatic embryogenesis. This cultivar has been distributed among coffee producers in Central America over the last decade and the first productive harvests are now available.
The Centroamericano variety was especially selected for Anaerobic Natural processing because of its high mucilage content. The cherries are floated and washed with fresh water but not depulped. Afterwards, the coffee is placed in a stainless steel tank with a one-way air valve. In the tank the coffee will start to ferment with the natural microorganisms and yeast present on the coffee cherries. The fermentation will push out all the oxygen and after one or two hours the anaerobic environment is created within the tank. This fermentation continues for a total time of 24 hours. After fermenting the cherries are washed again with fresh water and dried in the solar dryer. First for two days they are placed on a ceramic patio and finish drying in layered beds within the solar dryer.
Unlike a lot of other anaerobics the flavours of the Aquiares Anaerobic are less intense but more layered and complex. You’ll find flavours of orange, raspberry and milk chocolate.
Natural Esperanza lot
This nano lot of coffee is a Natural process F1 Esperanza cultivar. Esperanza is an F1 hybrid variety made by crossing the Sarchimor T-5296 and a wild Ethiopia (ET25) variety. It is reproduced through a tissue culture cloning process called somatic embryogenesis.
This cultivar is very rare and Aquiares is one of the few farms to produce it on a commercial scale globally. This hybrid represents the best of the farm and cupping worlds because it is high-yielding and rust-resistant, and also has a complex, elegant profile.
Natural processing begins with harvested ripe coffee cherries, which are then sorted at the mill before processing. The cherries are then spread out on the drying patios where the drying process begins. After the cherries are partially dried, they are moved to raised beds until reaching their optimal humidity. Drying takes 16–20 days.
This classic natural is very sweet and has a predominant cherry flavour. Furthermore you’ll find notes of mandarin and a long almond finish.
Region
Plantation
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Orange, raspberry & milk chocolate
Region
Plantation
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Cherry, mandarin & almond
The estate’s history goes back to 1857. Located in the slopes of outer Giries of Western Ghat, in a Karnataka region, Chikmagalur. The area is the birthplace of Indian coffee culture and gained its trading importance together with the beginning of coffee cultivation on its terrain.
At 1000-1400 meters above sea level T B Malle Gowda in the 19th century realized that the place is perfect for growing arabica plants hence, together with the British established coffee estate. The plantation was run further by his son T B Nagesh who shared his father’s passion for coffee.
Farmers nurture a mixed cropping system that cultivates coffee harmoniously with other plants and trees such as pepper vines, cloves, dadaps, and wild figs. Thogarihankal Estate is considered to be a wildlife sanctuary, Don’t be surprised if you spot a Green Pigeon, Siberian Crane, or a Whistling Teal here.
What makes coffee from this estate so great is the consistency of growing high-quality coffee beans over the years.
Region
Plantation
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Almond, honey & chocolate
Region
Plantation
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Almond, date & caramel
This coffee is sourced in Ethiopia by Lulo Coffee. Lulo coffee is a coffee producer and exporter company co-founded by Q Grader and Q Processing Professional, Mr. Robel Kidane.
Currently, Lulo owns mills and farms in Gedeb (Yirgacheffe) and Hambella Guji producing fine specialty Honey, Natural, and Anaerobic Natural coffees. Also, Lulo is working with other mill owners in Sidama, Yirgacheffe, and West Arsi. These mills produce fine washed and natural coffees. In addition, Lulo works with single farmers in Guji, Sidama, Yirgacheffe, and West Arsi.
Through their project, The Lulo Promise, they work with single farmers who have two hectares and above as a their consultant/agent in quality control, market connection and facilitating export process.
Mr. Robel meets and visits the farmer/farm to see the farmer is open to adhere by quality and traceability protocol set by Lulo. Once admitted, Mr. Robel pays a visit to each farmer twice during the harvest to inspect/advice on quality control. Team members within the woreda where the farmer is located visits farmers frequently to advice on quality control and sample collection.
Lolo pass 80-88% of the value to the farmer. We are very transparent with our pricing and how much of the value we pass to the farmer. in most cases, 88% of the value is passed to the farmer. In some occasions when Lulo provides working capital to the farmer, the farmer receives 80% of the value. Lulo takes care of expenses related to export processing and marketing.
This washed lot from Gedeb is very layered, lots of peach, lemongrass and black tea flavours
Region
Gedeb, Yirgacheffe
Plantation
Gedeb
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
peach, black tea & lemongrass
Region
Inkawasi, Cusco
Plantation
Julian Vilchez
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Jasmin, sweet lemon & butterscotch
The producer, Javier, has been involved with the coffee world for his entire life. His parents and grandparents have practically always been coffee pickers and have always lived in Bruselas, Huila. Being a picker is a very taxing job; Javier soon got bored of working that way and got more thrilled about the idea of being a producer himself. He learned how grow coffee trees and to process coffee by traveling to different regions in Colombia to learn. After many years of labor, he finally managed to save up enough money to go back to the farm where he was raised and plant his own coffee plants.
He convinced his dad and brother to be partners and they started planting robusta coffees. Over time they realised that the domestic robusta market is a very unfair market for the producer and so they began to learn more about specialty coffee. That’s how they changed all their stock to Pink Bourbon. It was a variety that, due to the elevation of the farm, 1800 meters above sea level, had a great harvest. After about 3 years of producing Pink Bourbon, their neighbour José Salazar told them that he had found a new variety, that coffee left a mild spicy sensation in the mouth called “Bourbon Ají”; Javier decided to buy the seeds and started planting his very own Aji.
Even though it is often referred to as Bourbon Aji, it’s more likely to be an Ethiopian landrace. The green beans actually looks a lot like that of Geisha.
The cherries were processed by 24 hours of fermentation in Grain Pro bags before pulping. After this the pulped beans are fermented for 70 hours in tanks. After this the coffee was dried in their dryer for 12 hours after washing and further dried on raised beds in their greenhouse.
This coffee is super clean and layered, with notes of peach, toffee and honeysuckle.
Region
Bruselas, Huila
Plantation
Javier Alvear
Altitude
Plant variety
Process
Tasting notes
Peach, toffee & honeysuckle
