Guatemala | Blue Ayarza - Washed

Roaster’s tasting notes: milk chocolate, green apple, vanilla

This washed lot was processed at Covoya/OFI cherry mill in Ayarza, Santa Rosa. In Guatemala, coffee is traditionally processed individually by smallholder farmers, making it difficult to manage and guarantee quality form lot to lot. The team in Ayarza works with numerous farmers in the region, paying a premium for ripe cherry and processing it centrally to maintain strict standards throughout.

Linda visited this cherry mill in May 2025 to see the processes, innovative methods being used to reduce the carbon footprint, and the reinvestment into the local community - notably the education and childcare provision in place for coffee growing families.

After numerous tests and tweaks, the mill include a 4-6 hour fermentation followed by mechanical demucilaging. This allows for a welcome extra hint of fruit in the cup profile, whilst retaining all the eco-benefits of mechanical washing.

PRODUCER: Small Holder Farmers

SUBREGION: Lake Ayarza, Santa Rosa

PROCESS: Washed

ALTITUDE: 1400-2000 masl

VARIETAL: Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Anacafe14, San Ramon