Our first Guatemalan of the year is something different and a little special from Vanessa Braun Valle and her farm Concepción in the Jalapa region.

The Concepción farm dates back to 1890, and was a cattle farm at that time, with a little bit of coffee. The farm was bought by the ancestors of Vanessa Braun Valle more than hundred years ago. At that time, it was sold by a Spanish family originally settled in Mataquescuintla to focus on the coffee business and cattle farming. Nowadays, the farm has grown fivefold in its production of coffee. The farm is constantly renovated and a bit of the Bourbon varieties that the farm was originally consisting of, are still there. The annual farm cycle looks as follow; in April, the coffee trees are pruned, the soils are treated, and the trees are fertilised 3 times per year. The leaves receive 4-6 foliar applications per year. The family tries to not use any herbicides. Then, shade at the farm is controlled according to the climate of the year. When the harvest season start, all ripe coffee cherries are picked manually. Although the farm has natural spring water, the family uses recirculated water from the moment of depulping so to avoid any contamination. The coffee is fermented and then washed very well with clean water. Parchment is sundried at patios.

The farm has a storied history, but they only recently started planting special varieties! Geisha was first planted on the farm in 2019, and Pacamara in 2020. This unique lot was harvested as a field blend of the two outstanding varieties. The coffee is harvested at the peak of ripeness and depulped at the mill. The coffee is fermented for 36 hours before being washed. It is also left to soak in clean water before drying. The drying process takes about 15 days, and the team carefully spreads the coffee to about 18 centimeters thick on the cement patio in order to ensure proper drying. It is turned frequently while resting on the patio.