Guatemala - Finca La Laguna Anaerobic

Antigua is one of the famous coffee-growing regions in Guatemala. The presence of three volcanoes, Acatenango, Agua, and Fuego, is credited for its unique microclimate. The nutrient-dense and porous volcanic soil is conducive to the healthy growth of coffee trees in the area. At 1400 to 1800 masl, Finca La Laguna also benefits from cooler temperatures that make the coffee cherries denser and more complex.
Adolfo Hernandez has been producing good quality coffee at Finca La Laguna since 1995, owing to the natural environment and his deep-rooted experience in cultivation and processing. Taking after his father and with an eye on the farm’s future, Adolfito Hernandez Jr. has become more involved in operations. In addition, he has been working to diversify towards honey and natural processing when the norm has always been washed.

The Exporter:
Raul Rodas, founder of Paradigma Coffee Trading and the roastery Paradigma Coffee, is a four-time Guatemala National Barista Champion and the World Barista Champion in 2012.
The span and scope of his coffee journey have given him a thorough understanding of what must be done at key points in the specialty coffee value chain to create a remarkable experience for the consumer to enjoy their cup. He has also established relationships with meticulous and forward-thinking producers across the known and upcoming coffee-growing regions in the country.

The Caturra variety naturally mutated from Bourbon and is generally regarded to have the capacity for a complex range of attributes in the cup, from bright citruses to dark cherry, caramel, and chocolate.

In collaboration with Raul Rodas of Paradigma Coffee, Adolfo and Adolfito Jr. have been working to develop anaerobically processed lots. For this lot, fermentation was done in a shaded area, with the whole cherries kept in sealed tanks for a period of five days. Temperature was controlled in order not to exceed 35 degrees. Then, drying was done on African beds for fifteen days. Their objective was to cater to the customers’ current preference for intensely fruity and fuller-bodied coffees by bringing out these qualities in their Caturra.