Microlot:
Nicaragua
Maximino’s Maceration
Maximino and his wife Marlene are perfectionists who own a medium-sized farm in Jinotega called Santa Adela. Their pickings each day seem to be even more perfectly-ripe than the perfect pickings from the day before, which is why Gold Mountain Coffee Growers’ staff found their coffee an excellent candidate for carbonic maceration.
Their cherries for this lot are picked all morning and then journey two to three hours through the mountains to Finca Idealista, where they are double-fermented in an anaerobic environment as whole cherries. Staff take Brix refractometer and pH readings many times each day so that the level of fermentation and pH allow clean fruit notes to appear in the final cup–but none of these notes would be possible without their perfectionist-level of picking.
Farmer: Maximino
Farm: Santa Adela
Altitude: 1096-1238 MASL
Variety: Red Catuai
Fermentation: 118 Hour Carbonic Maceration
Process: Natural
Notes: Strawberry, wine, rose
Carbonic maceration is a unique fermentation process used in the coffee industry to enhance the flavor profile of coffee beans. It involves fermenting whole, ripe coffee cherries in a controlled anaerobic environment by introducing carbon dioxide to displace oxygen. This triggers a biochemical transformation within the cherries, where enzymes and microorganisms break down sugars, proteins, and acids.
Gold Mountain Coffee Growers is a social enterprise in Nicaragua that connects local coffee producers with international roasters. They focus on high-quality specialty coffee, working closely with producers to ensure optimal conditions and ripeness during picking. Additionally, GMCG initiates sustainable projects, including free computing classes, medical aid, microcredit, and educational support within coffee communities.
Content & Photo Credit to the Farmers and Gold Mountain Coffee
https://www.goldmountaincoffeegrowers.com/