Country: Bolivia
Region: Caranavi
Cup Score: 86.5
Cup Profile: lemon sherbets, grapefruit, peach tea, fizzy acidity
Altitude: 1550 masl
Process: lactic natural
Varietal: red Caturra
Size: 250g
Brew: for all brew methods

In 2015, El Arcángel farm was established, and by 2017, its first harvest had taken place. One distinctive feature of this farm is that the red and yellow caturras were cultivated separately from the other varieties to preserve and highlight their unique qualities in each lot. The farm derives its name from a large and majestic tree, which sits at the highest point of the land, overlooking the farm like a protector archangel. The coffee was planted in a way that promotes harmonious growth and harvesting practices, resulting in a peaceful oasis exuding beauty and tranquillity, as if watched over by a divine presence.

Bolivia has an interesting coffee history, with exports reaching almost 85,000 bags in the early 2000s. However, coffee production declined drastically towards the end of the last decade due to coffee rust and producers switching to coca cultivation, which is more profitable. Moreover, the lack of knowledge and training has led to organic farming practices that do not promote growth, causing a further drop in production. Consequently, it is now challenging to find Specialty coffees from Bolivia. The coffee harvest season in Bolivia runs from April to October.

Caranavi, known as the capital of coffee, is located in the Yungas region's lush forest. The region has fertile soil and two climates, making it ideal for coffee production. However, only a small percentage of farmers' plots are planted with coffee, while the rest remain wild forest. The Wednesday market in Caranavi is the primary place where commercial grade coffee is sold.

Agricafe, our partner since 2016, is owned by the Rodriguez family, who started renting wet mills in Caranavi region in 1986. In 2001, they built their wet mill, called Buena Vista, and quickly started exporting operations. In 2012, after a national drop in coffee production, they started farming themselves, and now have eight farms in Caranavi and five farms in Samaipata. They employ up to 300 people during peak season and have won the SCA Sustainability award. The family invests heavily in agronomy research, including grafting and using over 50 different varieties. Java and Geisha grafted on Robusta root systems have yielded the best results in the cup/field, prompting them to renovate some of their parcels with these plants.

The company processes coffee at their wet mill before drying it on beds and then mechanical dryers that simulate day/night light. The coffee is then bagged and sent to the dry mill in La Paz for export. The family experiments with processing and yeast use, and they have built more beds with tunnels and plastic sheets to cover them in case of rain. Although it rained heavily before the harvest, the weather during the harvest has been good, making it easier to produce naturals this year. Finally, the coffee is bagged in Ecotact and jute bags before being exported through Arica port in Chile.