On our counter, we are halfway through the current crop of the coffees from Bolivia. In Bolivia, the new crop has been harvested and processed. It is now being graded, tasted, and organised for export. The new crop will be on our counters in December.
Earlier this year we were delighted to have Pedro Rodríguez and Dani Rodríguez from Agricafe visit our shops and our roastery. It is always great fun to have them with us and we enjoyed a super evening of tasting coffee and talking with the team.
Pedro told us about his entry into the coffee industry in the 1990s and the challenges that he faced in Bolivia at that time. The challenges continue for the coffee industry in Bolivia as the number of people farming coffee decreases, and the crop size along with it. In a dwindling producing environment, Agricafe have specifically concentrated on producing specialty coffee, using their own farms as laboratories to discover the best varietals and methods in the various conditions they have. This knowledge has led to an agronomy programme that other producers have joined called Sol De La Mañana. The programme helps some sixty farms increase both the quality and quantity of coffee produced, which helps increase their income.
The programme Agricafe runs is unique in many ways. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects is that they start with a nursery on every farm. Starting with establishing a good, productive nursery may seem obvious from the outside, but with the initial part of the project taking around three years, the farmers must take a leap of faith that the results will be productive. It is at least ten months before the seedlings can be planted out, and then another couple of years before the first crop is harvested. Farming is always an exercise in hope, but a three year wait for a result is a bit jangling on the nerves. It helps that Pedro’s own farms do so well and the participants can see the potential upside for the effort they put in.
Alongside establishing growing protocols and a good agronomy practice, Pedro has looked to the wine industry for advice and inspiration. Coffee and wine are often compared and the input that has come from wine makers has been invaluable. Some of the big changes that Agricafe have implemented directly from the wine industry have been in the processing stages. All fermentation (the process by which the fruity pulp is removed from the parchment-covered bean during the washed methods) is now done in stainless steel tanks and more strictly controlled. This enables repeatable results in fermentation time and outcome which leads to more consistency in flavour in the cup across the harvest. Having more control at this stage means results are more repeatable across the years giving a consistency in flavour year to year that is remarkable. Traditionally, fermentation has been a rule-of-thumb kind of process and while this can produce wonderful results, it can leave a bit to chance so anything that can reduce the risk to some extent is welcomed.
Agricafe is a small coffee company in a small producing country, but they are right at the front in the work that they do and the quality of the coffee they produce. It is a pleasure to work with Pedro, Dani, Pedro Pablo, and the team, and wonderful to have their coffees on our counter.
Monmouth x
