Variety: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Sourced by: Crop to Cup
Finca Artemira will always hold a special place in my robotic tin heart. It was the first farm I ever visited. It was the first place I tried a coffee cherry (a moment I envisioned for quite some time). Most importantly, I gained perspective as to just how miraculous coffee is because of the people who chose to cultivate it and how much work it takes to do so.
I still remember every step I took walking the entirety of Finca Artemira (while one of my colleagues got to ride a horse…an inside joke for those following). The views were stunning, the oxygen pure, the company positive, and the work intense and inspiring.
As we strolled, we passed organized areas where different coffee varieties flourished. (caturra amarillo, bourbon, bourbon rosado, gesha, and soon sidra). The land was organized but rugged. We stopped by different processing areas where the coffee was drying on raised beds. There were hand pulpers with massive mounds of cherry skin composting. I gave the hand pulper a whirl and realized how much effort was required for a single bag of parchment to be produced. My arm felt like it was going to fall off. A horse was being loaded with 2-3 bags of parchment to make its way back down the farm to travel to Jaén. I had seen the warehouse at OCL full of hundreds of bags of coffee. Only then did I realize that only 17-20 bags of parchment could be loaded by truck to journey to the warehouse in Jaén (6-7 hours round tip). I had tasted stunning lots from Finca Artemira a few days previous to traveling to the farm. Despite the intensity and length of the process that coffee production and transit require, the team at Finca Artemira was resolute in making their coffees become realities for roasters around the world. We hoped we could showcase one of their coffees to give the same effort and determination on the roasting side. This bourbon lot in particular seemed to represent their attention to detail and hustle.
As we dialed in this coffee, the memories of Finca Artemira flowed through our small roastery at 1908 Clark Street. We tried to envision exactly where we thought this specific lot was from on the farm and remembered some of the higher-elevation bourbon sites and the taste of the cherries (intensely floral). We’ve approached this dial-in with intense scrutiny. Like our favorite bourbon lots, expect huge sweetness, crisp yellow fruits (like dried pineapple), and a heavy caramel backbone. We tend to reach for this coffee every morning as our first cup because of its approachable yet energetic profile. Don’t be surprised if it becomes your daily driver!
***Please note that coffee orders for this week will be roasted starting next week on 1/13. It will take about a week to roast, package, and ship all orders. Thank you kindly for your patience.***