Guatemala Finca La Bella, 250 g – filter

The La Bella farm has achieved exceptional results thanks to its location. Situated in a tropical climate area surrounded by forests, it lies in the heart of La Sierra de las Minas in the El Progreso region.

Finca La Bella was founded in 1960. Teodoro began getting involved in the farm’s life around 1999 and worked alongside his father until he passed away when Teodoro was just 13. Later, he decided to continue the family tradition as a fourth-generation coffee farmer. Knowledge of the plantations, cultivation secrets, harvest techniques, and benefits have been passed down through four generations.

The farm grows various Arabica varieties: 10% Bourbon, 40% Villa Sarchi, 15% Caturra, 20% Pacamara, 5% Marcelleza, and 10% others.

After harvesting, the coffee is washed and cleaned of floaters. The ripest and highest-quality cherries are sent to the patio, where they are evenly spread out for drying, regularly mixed, and sorted. Special raised canopies known as “African beds” are used for drying.

Natural processing lasts about 3-4 weeks and is one of the longest methods. The coffee is dried until the skin of the cherries takes on a distinctly dark color, and the beans completely separate from the dried pulp, checked by the characteristic sound of the bean rattling inside the dried shell. The moisture content of the beans should reach 12%. At this stage, it’s important to mix the cherries thoroughly and pick out any defects.