El Morito, Guatemala

Located in Mataquescuintla, Jalapa, Guatemala, El Morito was founded in 1994 by Roberto Monterroso.

This lot originated from a plot called “Casa de Piedra” (Stone House), named for its symbolic old house made mostly of stone. The plot sits at an altitude of 1850 meters above sea level. The primary focus is on organic fertilization, mainly coffee pulp and processed cattle manure with agricultural amendments such as triple lime. Chemical fertilizers are also applied to meet all the plant's nutritional needs.

The soil type is sandy loam, shaded primarily by cypress, oak, and gravel trees. Annual rainfall ranges from 1000-1300masl, with temperatures between 8-25°C.

The processing method for this lot #964 is traditional washed. The coffee is harvested at its peak ripeness (blood red/purple), then transported to a wet mill and immediately pulped without the use of water. The coffee is fermented in a tile-lined concrete tank to ensure maximum hygiene. The fermentation process, under controlled light and temperature conditions, lasts 144h.

After 144h of fermentation, the coffee is washed with potable water and passed through a sorting channel known as a "correteo," where impurities are separated by density. After washing, the coffee is left to rest in clean water for 8h, resulting in a clean and bright cup.

After washing, the coffee is placed on concrete patios covered with granite flooring, which prevents physical damage during the drying phase. The coffee is turned constantly every 30min to ensure uniform drying until it reaches a moisture content of 10-11%. This process takes between 15-18 days, depending on weather conditions.

Once the desired humidity is reached, the coffee is moved to a storage facility for resting under controlled light and air conditions, thus beginning its aging process. After 15 days of storage, the coffee is ready to be evaluated for quality and sold.