Peru El Oso

The San Ignacio Province sits at the top of the Cajamarca region in Northern Perú where the Rio Canchis splits the country from Ecuador. The farms are located in the buffer zones of a protected natural area, and have seen spectacled bears, cock-of-the-rocks, jaguars and peccaries within their boundaries. This means working with an organic methodology and certification is a strategic point because through these standards, a culture of protection of wildlife and species in danger of extension is encouraged and created.

Coffee here is commonly fermented in wooden tanks built from fallen Romerillo trees (regulations prohibit the chopping down of them.) This is because when coffee ferments it generates heat, and the wood is better at dispersing the heat and therefore ensuring an even temperature throughout the fermentation tank, whereas with concrete, heat would be absorbed and stored more easily in the sides, creating differences throughout the batch and inconsistencies in the final cup.

Red cherries are picked and floated to remove any defects, twigs, and stray leaves. Once cleaned, it will be fermented for 18 to 36 hours (dependent on weather conditions etc) and washed again, before being spread to dry for between 10 to 21 days, again weather dependent.

Parchment delivered into the warehouses of the cooperative in San Ignacio town. Each batch is evaluated for physical appearance, tasted at the quality laboratory and separated according to quality and certification. It is then transported to the dry mill in nearby Chiclayo city. The export department is based here as well as another quality control laboratory with well-trained staff, and each under the control of certified Q grader.