Bolivia is a lesser-known South American coffee producer, especially when compared to the likes of Colombia and Brazil. This is reflected in the country’s much lower export volume, with Bolivia’s total coffee production being less than that of one of Brazil’s larger farms. Nevertheless, Bolivia has the potential to produce high-quality coffee, and does so in small quantities, thanks to its ideal growing conditions.

This coffee comes from the province of Caranavi in Yungas, a forested region lining the east side of the Andes mountain range. Yungas is known for having some of the highest-altitude coffee crops in the world, and is also responsible for the majority of Bolivia’s coffee production. 

As is typical in Bolivia, this coffee, brought to us by our friends a Origin Coffee Roasting, was grown on a relatively small, family-run farm of about 10-hectares, before being sent to the local wet mill, Buena Vista. The mill and farm, Finca El Arcángel, belong to the Rodriguez family as part of their broader coffee production business, Agricafe. 

Agricafe works with around 500 different Bolivian coffee farms, sourcing high-quality microlots from them and bringing them to Buena Vista mill in Caranavi, shouldering the transport costs so farmers don’t have to. The company additionally supports its farmers and producers by providing them with cutting-edge educational resources and continually investing in their equipment. Agricafe’s core aim is to raise the standard for Bolivian coffee and earn it greater notoriety on the global stage. 

This particular lot has undergone a novel and increasingly popular form of coffee processing: washed anaerobic fermentation. This begins with a standard wash process, which entails entirely removing the coffee seed (more commonly called the bean) from the coffee cherry. The coffee is then left to ferment in sealed, oxygen-deprived tanks or vats, under strictly controlled conditions. 

All coffee ferments when left to sit for an extended period due to the sugars and bacteria naturally found on its surface and in its flesh or seed (depending on the processing method), and anaerobic fermentation results in the production of unique acids and compounds which can lead to bold, complex flavours and a pleasantly sharp acidity in the cup.

Origin’s notes

• Flavour: Watermelon, cherry, walnut, plum, biscuit, black tea
• Body: Full
• Acidity: Stone fruit, plum
• Roast: Light - medium
• Suggested brewing methods: Espresso, V60/filter, AeroPress, Turkish

Coffee details from Origin

• Country: Bolivia
• Province: Caranavi
• Region: Yungas
• Farm: Finca El Arcángel
• Washing station: Buena Vista mill
• Owner: Pedro Rodríguez and his family
• Altitude: 1650masl
• Varietals: Bourbon, Caturra, Typica
• Processing: Anaerobic washed

“El Arcángel was planted in 2015 and had its first harvest in 2017. The farm gets its name from an unusually large and majestic tree that sits at the highest point of the farm, appearing to observe the land from on high, resembling the protector archangel.”

“One of the things that are unique about the farm is that the red and yellow caturras are grown separately from the other varieties so that the distinctive qualities of each are preserved and highlighted in each lot.”