Guatemala – El Potrero 1

Farm Owners: Sarina and Carlos Oliver

Producer: ZELCAFE

Farm Manager: Byron Orizabal

Region: Antigua

Farm: El Potrero #1

Altitude: 1550 MASL

Varietal: Caturra, Bourbon and B300

Process: Fermentation for 15 hours, fully washed and dried for 14 days on patio

Notes: Tangerine, Orange Rind, Honeydew Melon, Caramel and a very slight floral

100% Arabica

This is a stunner of a coffee. With a medium-light body, citric notes and sweetness that linger in the palate well after finished drinking. It reminds us a bit of an African coffee, with more balance though, as you would expect from well processed Guatemalan coffees.

This lot comes from a farm called Potrero #1 owned by Sarina and Carlos Oliver located in the Region of Antigua. This farm’s management and care is led by the Zelcafé team, led by Byron Orizábal. 

Complete re-planting or stumping took place from 2012 to 2014 and as such, there are no current plans for the farm, other than maintenance. Rather, the team will focus on good management, given the plantation’s ability to produce good yields and great quality year-after-year. No small feat! 

The cherries are collected and taken to the Bella Vista Mill to be processed. The Bella Vista team take care of all the planning, execution and monitoring of the resources on each farm they own or manage, including human, technical, financial, and educational. In the case of the small producers who sell them cherries, the team not only buy cherries at a premium, they also provide technical assistance and the financing of inputs. Bella Vista is constantly looking to improve its agricultural activities to reduce chemicals to a minimum and in turn share their scientific knowledge with other farms.

Luis Pedro Zelaya Zamora (LPZZ) is the fourth generation in his family to be working in the coffee business. The Zelaya family’s first farm was Carmona, followed by Bella Vista, which where the wet, dry mill facilities, and Zelcafé staff offices were later built and are currently located. For the Zelaya family, their coffee endeavors are not only about business; their aim is to provide a good basis for generations of their family and community to come. With this in mind, they are constantly looking for ways to provide jobs to as many families in their communities as possible, as well as supplying the best quality coffee they can to their clients.

Bella Vista continuously encourages its workers to get proper education and in special cases, finances education for some of them. The facility also often offers workshops on different topics. The Zelaya family farms all have C.A.F.E Practices implemented and in the coming years the family will try to implement a WaSH project at one of their biggest farms.

Collaborative Coffee Source is our sourcing partner for this Guatemalan coffee. They have been working with the Zelaya family since 2013 and have shown to be a perfect partner. The team at Zelcafé have considerable training in modern agronomy and have mastered the art of processing coffees. It definitely shows in the year to year consistency in the cup. Very balanced and elegant coffees.