FARM: El Acerillo

ELEVATION: 1800 masl

VARIETIES: Caturra & Bourbon

REGION: Ihuamaca

We first tasted the Lopez's coffee in 2018, but it wasn't until our travels 2022 when we were able to meet them. The Lopez brothers, Cesar and Rolando, grow coffee deep in the hills of Ihuamaca, Cajamarca, Peru. The brothers grow a wild array of beautiful flowers alongside the coffee plants at a high elevation of 1930 masl. Ihuamaca is a long drive from the nearest city, but the rugged mountains provide ideal coffee growing conditions. The farm is located a short walk from their house and processing center where Rolando grows many orchids that are scattered throughout the farm. The cherries are removed the day after picking to be fermented in a tub for up to 20 hours. After fermentation, the seeds are washed to remove the mucilage before the final drying stage on raised beds.