Rene Garcia Espresso - Guatemala

Highlights

“Rene Garcia farms in El Volcancito, Santa Rosa, on land his grandparents planted and his parents let fall idle. He took it over at 14, fertilised with cattle manure, raised his own seedlings from yellow Catuai and slowly bought and inherited more land. In 2000 he spent five years working in the United States because there was no market for his coffee, and came back with the money to keep the farm going. Swerl sources through Semilla, which helps Xinca smallholders reach the specialty market, and this is his first export. Cherries are de-pulped with a Penagos ecopulper the same day, dry-fermented in sealed bags for 48 hours, washed and dried on raised beds for about 16 days. Pache San Ramon, 1,705 m, roasted for espresso.”