I visited Ecuador for the first time in 2022 and I fell instantly in love. The country, the people and the coffee all romanced me in a way I didn’t expect. Fabricio Coronel was one of these people. He is kind, funny and silly, but when the conversation turns to coffee, he switches gears, and it gets intense. He is passionate. He is knowledgeable and he is hungry to produce some of the world’s best coffees. He and his brother, Ramiro are both new to coffee, but what they lack in years of experience, they more than make up with their constant pursuit of knowledge.

They are both agronomists and started applying their knowledge to coffee in 2016. They now run their family’s Hacienda La Florida, located in the department of Sozoranga in the Loja province in the south of Ecuador. The property has been with the family since 1921, yes over 100 years! In 2016, Fabricio and Ramiro planted their first lot of Sidra. Now they also grow Typica Mejorado and Catucai. They are students of coffee who have made huge strides in their agriculture and coffee processing every year since their inception. I am so happy I met Fabricio and started working together.

When I visited, Fabricio took me around the farm - I actually rode a horse believe or not. I learned a lot about processing by speaking with Fabricio. He has been experimenting for years with various different fermentation processes and continuing to push the envelope of our knowledge.

This lot of coffee is 100% Typica Mejorado, naturally processed with carbonic maceration in stainless tanks. It was picked in September of 2023. Fabricio likes to pick very ripe, he described the cherries as having a deep burgundy colour. The cherry is immediately soaked in clean water to remove all under and over ripe coffee from the lot. By the way, all of their water comes from natural springs within their property.

The next part is a bit boring. If you’re really into coffee, you should read it, but if you don’t have time, just know that Fabricio did an amazing job with it so you can enjoy it and remember how good it tastes for years to come!

The coffee was anaerobically fermented for three days in cherry form until its pH reached 4.1. Fabricio finds this pH is optimal to develop tropical fruit notes and acidity, but still keep a clean cup that expresses the qualities of the variety. The coffee was then dried in a climate controlled dark room (low relative humidity and moderate temperature). The coffee is mixed to achieve a more even drying process three times per day. The drying period took about 30 days.

I’m really proud to be working with these two and I can’t wait to taste their coffees in the years to come.

- Sebastian