Bolivia La Paz Pacamara بوليفيا لاباز بكامارا

The Story Behind This Coffee

This specific lot comes from various producers in associated with APROCAFE, which was founded back in 2000, with just 35 producers. The cooperative sought to improve revenue for producers and assisted them with organic and Fair Trade certifications in the early 2000s. The producers in this cooperative come from different parts of Caranavi, the majority being in the communities of Uchumachi and Calama, both being less than 10km apart. They have basic techniques and washing stations that support their small farms. This specific lot comes only from Calama and is comprised of the Pacamara varietal.

Harvest typically occurs from April – August and is done by hand once the cherries reach peak ripeness. They are delivered to each producer’s wet mill, located onsite, to be submerged in tanks of water, where floaters or underripe cherries are removed. The cherries are then de-pulped via machine and then fermented in open fermentation tanks for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, the coffee is rushed through channels of water to clean away any remaining mucilage. This is done with wooden paddles; the water being changed multiple times to ensure the coffee is completely cleaned. Producers will then disperse the coffee on raised beds in greenhouses to dry for 5 – 10 days depending on the climate.