El Zapote
Sweet and smooth Guatemalan coffee that holds a special place in our hearts.
In 2022 we took our first ever origin trip to Finca El Zapote in Acatenango, Guatemala, and we had the absolute honor to return to the farm in January 2023. Though we’ve had direct trade relationships with farms in the past, Julio Melendez’s is the first farm we were able to visit and experience first hand. It’s easy to take for granted, so it’s a humbling experience to see all the hard work and care that goes into each cup. This year we were there in the middle of harvest season, so we were able to see (and sometimes even try our hand at!) every part of the process, from picking the cherries, processing them, drying them, and preparing them for shipment. We were able to cup all of Julio’s offerings, and in the end we ended up purchasing three (3!) different coffees from him that we will be releasing in 2023.
This is the first of the three, a washed Caturra that we’ve roasted just to the edge of medium in order to highlight the sweet notes of chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut, while still keeping the gentle citric acidity that reminds us of oranges. This coffee is sure to please everyone with it’s clean notes and ability to taste great black or with a little bit of cream.
CUPPING NOTES
Chocolate, Hazelnut, Orange, Vanilla
MORE ABOUT THIS COFFEE
Finca El Zapote has been in Julio Meléndez’s family for over 100 years. Located in Acatenango, one of Guatemala’s many microclimates centered around a volcano of the same name, the climate here is perfect for coffee growing, with temperatures ranging between 15 and 29 C, morning sunlight turning to afternoon cloud coverage and mists. Julio records soil tests and weather data related to each lot, which enables him to evaluate correlations between production data and cup quality year over year. In addition to Caturra varietals, Julio also grows Bourbon, Gesha, Moka and H1 varietals, as well as a variety of processing methods. Finca El Zapote is focused on sustainability and is certified Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, and 4C.
GROWER
Julio Meléndez, Finca El Zapote, Acatenango, Guatemala
ELEVATION
1,500-1,650 Meters
VARIETY
Caturra
PROCESSING
Washed
50¢ from the sale of all coffee bags go to Angels’ Place - A Pittsburgh based non-profit that cares for the children of single parents who qualify as low-income. This enables the parent to continue their own education or career, benefiting both generations.
SHIPPING: We ship orders on Tuesdays and Fridays. Order cutoff is 12pm the day PRIOR to the ship day. We do our best to ship your coffee within two days of roasting it. If you ever feel your coffee is not fresh enough, just let us know and we’ll replace it.
Domestic shipping is free for orders of $50 or more. Otherwise, it is a $7.50 flat rate anywhere in the US. We ship everything via UPS Ground.
NOTES ON GRINDING: If you choose “French Press” grind, expect it to be finer than usual, so you’re guaranteed good extraction. Some ultra fine coffee particles will make it through the screen and create a flavorful, albeit slightly opaque cup. In other words, we choose flavor over aesthetics. If you want to keep your cup looking cleaner, choose a pour over grind.
If you don’t see your preferred grind in the options then simply let us know in the notes section at checkout and we’d be happy to grind it for your favorite brewing method.
