FRANKLIN MADRID-ANEROBIC WASHED-HONDURAS

This anaerobic washed coffee from Franklin Madrid's El Sauce farm in Honduras offers a complex cup shaped by careful processing and a unique microclimate. Handpicked cherries undergo extended wet and dry fermentation, are rinsed multiple times, then solar-dried for 15–18 days and hand-sorted to ensure only the highest quality beans. Notes of bramble, currant flower and lemon sorbet. 

The relationship:

Matt (Langdons) met Franklin, a fourth generation farmer and his son Denilson, a 23 year old fifth generation farmer, on his first day in Honduras. Denilson had just graduated from agronomy university in Honduras, his father, Franklin recently gave him control of La Peña one of his farms.

Franklin and his story:

Franklin hails from a coffee-producing family, with a rich history dating back to his grandfather Constantino Madrid, who was the first person to plant coffee in El Sauce village. Today, Franklin and his siblings independently manage farms in this region, with El Sauce being a cherished favourite due to its ideal microclimate and strategic location. Franklin's dedication led to a COE win in 2008, and he recently introduced innovative coffee varieties like Pacamaras.

The farm:

El Sauce in the Santa Barbara Mountain is nestled within a vast mountainous region, mostly a protected national park since 1987. Coffee cultivation began among the native population in the 1940s, initially as a secondary crop. However, by the 1970s, coffee, particularly Typica and Bourbon varieties, became the primary crop, driving the local economy and becoming a significant cultural element.

The procress:

The cherries are picked carefully and are transported to the wet mill inside the farm and are put into fermentation plastic tanks for around 78 hours. Next, the cherries are de-pulped, after, the parchment is put into fermentation plastic tanks where it is dry fermented for 48 hours. After, the parchment is rinsed into the tank with a lot of water three times. Next, it´s put into the solar dryer to dry for around 15-18 days. During the dryer, the parchment is sorted by hand to remove defective beans.