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La Bolsa - Guatemala RFA
€15.30
La Bolsa Guatemala. Bourbon, San Caturra. Washed.
Every bean has a story
Finca La Bolsa is a beautiful farm managed by Maria Elena Vides. It is located in La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, at an altitude ranging between 1,300 and 1,600 meters above sea level. The farm was established in 1958 by Jorge Vides, the current family's grandfather. He purchased the land covered in forests and began cultivating Bourbon and Caturra coffee varieties. Despite being a full-time doctor, Jorge's true passion lay in farming. His dedication to healthcare led him to become the Director of the National Hospital of Huehuetenango, which now bears his name. His commitment extended beyond coffee, as he founded a school on the farm in 1980, which is still operational and recognised by the Ministry of Education. In 2001, the second and third generations took over, focusing exclusively on producing specialty coffee.
Jorge Vides, a distinguished medical professional, bought Finca La Bolsa in 1958. Prior to this, the land was not used for coffee production. Jorge won numerous awards for coffee production and for his services to the Huehuetenango region, and the main hospital in the coffee-growing community is named after him. In 2002, La Bolsa competed in the Cup of Excellence competition and placed second, scoring 94.98.
The farm sits between two mountains, which provide a very stable, humid microclimate. Combined with the limestone-rich soils, this gives the coffee a unique profile, with a rich, syrupy body and plenty of malic and citric acidity.
La Bolsa is RFA-certified and follows C.A.F.E Practices guidelines. Coffee Care funded the construction of a school and nursery on the farm, staffed with fully trained, full-time teachers. All temporary and permanent staff have access to schooling for their children. The farm gives them incentives to leave their children at school or nursery through a food donation program. When a child attends school or nursery for five consecutive days, the family receives a weekly supply of rice, beans, and corn. Before this food ration scheme, it was difficult to persuade parents to leave their children in the care of others. Schooling was not always valued and there was pressure to have children contribute to the family income.
As a result, there are now no children working on the farm, and the school and nursery are full. Accommodation is provided for both permanent and temporary workers, with separate facilities for men, women, and families, as well as bathrooms and kitchens. Certain sections of the farm are down as conservation areas to promote biodiversity, reduce wind exposure, and prevent soil erosion. Inga trees provide shade and fix nitrogen in the soil, which is essential for plant and cherry growth. Renardo has also developed an extensive composting operation that makes use of waste products, utilizing red worms.
Coffee processing at Finca La Bolsa is a meticulous process aiming at ensuring high quality. The team manually picks the coffee based on maturity and Brix levels. Coffee undergoes fermentation for between 18 and 24 hours. Then, they clean it of mucilage, grade it in channels, and soak overnight.
The team manages water with efficiency and sustainability in mind. They only use irrigation in the nursery, with minimal water consumption per plant. For coffee processing, the farm uses and reuses water, treating it through filters and natural barriers before reintroducing it to the crops.
Pest and disease management is proactive, with regular monitoring to prevent outbreaks. The farm uses a flower index to predict plant susceptibility based on weather conditions. The traceability of the coffee is meticulous. The team records every step, from cultivation to export, in a software system that logs specific hours and dates.
Finca La Bolsa does not produce any other crops. The impact of climate change, particularly in temperature and rain distribution, has led to the development of a flowering index that guides farm activities. Financially, the farm faces challenges due to rising production costs, labour shortages, and inflation. To stay competitive, the farm focuses on high-quality production in its middle and high-altitude areas. All the while increasing productivity in lower-altitude areas using resistant coffee varieties.
This is our second coffee from Guatemala. If you enjoy coffees from Central America, we recommend you give our Aapicuc one a try here!
Every bean has a story
Finca La Bolsa is a beautiful farm managed by Maria Elena Vides. It is located in La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, at an altitude ranging between 1,300 and 1,600 meters above sea level. The farm was established in 1958 by Jorge Vides, the current family's grandfather. He purchased the land covered in forests and began cultivating Bourbon and Caturra coffee varieties. Despite being a full-time doctor, Jorge's true passion lay in farming. His dedication to healthcare led him to become the Director of the National Hospital of Huehuetenango, which now bears his name. His commitment extended beyond coffee, as he founded a school on the farm in 1980, which is still operational and recognised by the Ministry of Education. In 2001, the second and third generations took over, focusing exclusively on producing specialty coffee.
Finca La Bolsa
Jorge Vides, a distinguished medical professional, bought Finca La Bolsa in 1958. Prior to this, the land was not used for coffee production. Jorge won numerous awards for coffee production and for his services to the Huehuetenango region, and the main hospital in the coffee-growing community is named after him. In 2002, La Bolsa competed in the Cup of Excellence competition and placed second, scoring 94.98.
The farm sits between two mountains, which provide a very stable, humid microclimate. Combined with the limestone-rich soils, this gives the coffee a unique profile, with a rich, syrupy body and plenty of malic and citric acidity.
RFA Certification
La Bolsa is RFA-certified and follows C.A.F.E Practices guidelines. Coffee Care funded the construction of a school and nursery on the farm, staffed with fully trained, full-time teachers. All temporary and permanent staff have access to schooling for their children. The farm gives them incentives to leave their children at school or nursery through a food donation program. When a child attends school or nursery for five consecutive days, the family receives a weekly supply of rice, beans, and corn. Before this food ration scheme, it was difficult to persuade parents to leave their children in the care of others. Schooling was not always valued and there was pressure to have children contribute to the family income.
As a result, there are now no children working on the farm, and the school and nursery are full. Accommodation is provided for both permanent and temporary workers, with separate facilities for men, women, and families, as well as bathrooms and kitchens. Certain sections of the farm are down as conservation areas to promote biodiversity, reduce wind exposure, and prevent soil erosion. Inga trees provide shade and fix nitrogen in the soil, which is essential for plant and cherry growth. Renardo has also developed an extensive composting operation that makes use of waste products, utilizing red worms.
Coffee Processing
Coffee processing at Finca La Bolsa is a meticulous process aiming at ensuring high quality. The team manually picks the coffee based on maturity and Brix levels. Coffee undergoes fermentation for between 18 and 24 hours. Then, they clean it of mucilage, grade it in channels, and soak overnight.
The team manages water with efficiency and sustainability in mind. They only use irrigation in the nursery, with minimal water consumption per plant. For coffee processing, the farm uses and reuses water, treating it through filters and natural barriers before reintroducing it to the crops.
Pest and disease management is proactive, with regular monitoring to prevent outbreaks. The farm uses a flower index to predict plant susceptibility based on weather conditions. The traceability of the coffee is meticulous. The team records every step, from cultivation to export, in a software system that logs specific hours and dates.
Finca La Bolsa does not produce any other crops. The impact of climate change, particularly in temperature and rain distribution, has led to the development of a flowering index that guides farm activities. Financially, the farm faces challenges due to rising production costs, labour shortages, and inflation. To stay competitive, the farm focuses on high-quality production in its middle and high-altitude areas. All the while increasing productivity in lower-altitude areas using resistant coffee varieties.
This is our second coffee from Guatemala. If you enjoy coffees from Central America, we recommend you give our Aapicuc one a try here!
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Tasting notes
Imagine a vanilla caramel nougat bar!
The caramel and vanilla flavors, combined with the nougat notes, provide a smooth, creamy sweetness, while the orange undertones add a bright, fruity contrast. The dark chocolate finish brings a rich bittersweet note, perfectly balancing the sweetness!
Recipe for espresso
Grams in: 18.8-19.3g
Grams out: 40-45g
Extraction Time: 22-25" seconds
Water Temperature: 93 - 94 C
Aged Best Use: Between 7-30 days
Imagine a vanilla caramel nougat bar!
The caramel and vanilla flavors, combined with the nougat notes, provide a smooth, creamy sweetness, while the orange undertones add a bright, fruity contrast. The dark chocolate finish brings a rich bittersweet note, perfectly balancing the sweetness!
Recipe for espresso
Grams in: 18.8-19.3g
Grams out: 40-45g
Extraction Time: 22-25" seconds
Water Temperature: 93 - 94 C
Aged Best Use: Between 7-30 days
Read More
Read Less
Beans:
Whole Beans 250g
- Whole Beans 250g
- Ground for Espresso 250g
- Ground for Filter - Hand Brew 250g
- Ground for Filter - Cafetiere 250g
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