Mexico Zempoalehuatl Reserve

Named after the rare and ancient Zempoalehuatl tree towering above the hills of coffee in the Veracruz region of Mexico, this lot is comprised of coffee from Rosa Maria Petra de Dios’ coffee from Yerbabuena. Additionally, other producers from the Santuario Project contribute a small amount of their cherries to this lot. These producers not only grow their coffee under the delicate shade of the Zempoalehuatl tree, but also grow Bourbon Centennial, an ancient Coffee varietal in Mexico.

The Santuario Project was initiated in 2017 by Eduardo Esteve and Camilo Merizalde, working with producers in this infamous coastal coffee-producing region of Mexico with the construction of the mill in 2019. The goal of this project was to source high-quality coffee to supply premium markets throughout the world, teaching producers about new processing methods and the benefit of selling to these premium markets. One such producer is Rosa Maria Petra and her unique Bourbon Centennial coffee trees.

This lot undergoes the Purple Honey process, which starts as the Bourbon cherries are carefully harvested once they attain a certain sugar level. In order to achieve even harvesting, Brix measurements are taken to measure the sugar content within each cherry. After harvest, the cherries are transported into a tank of water where they are submerged for 8 hours. The coffee cherries are later depulped, leaving roughly 75% of the mucilage on the seed. The next step is where this coffee is truly unique and spectacular as it begins the aerobic fermentation in a liquid substance called Mossto. This mixture is made from crushed coffee cherries, creating a juice rich with enzymes that breakdown the coffee’s mucilage. After soaking with the Mossto for 14 hours, the coffee is moved to raised beds, where it will dry in the open sun for 18 days, intermittently being sprayed with Mossto on Day 6 and Day 12. To complete drying and humidity stabilization, the coffee then rests under shade for an additional 6 days.