INSPIRATION DAY 4

Sweet, tropical, juicy: Himalaya Pineapple is an coffee with huge character. In the cup, expect pineapple, mango, and stone fruit, alongside the rounded flavour of almond and chocolate.

Meeting Mauricio, his passion for coffee is plain to see. Driven to innovate, he has built on years of knowledge and expertise at Finca Himalaya to consistently produce Cup of Excellence winning coffees.

Walking the estate and processing facilities, it becomes instantly clear that the level of execution is in another league; with meticulous lot separation, different processing styles, huge wooden wine crates and anaerobic tanks all visible. Like us, Mauricio is driven by a desire to reduce his environmental impact, using rainwater for his washed process coffee and reusing the skin of the coffee cherries after they are pulped to produce cascara.

The terroir has an ideal combination of clay and volcanic soils, producing coffees with character and complexity. Most lots are grown under shade and across the farm cypress and pine help provide habitat for a variety of flora and fauna.

At his Divisadero washing station, ‘Pineapple Natural’ is Mauricios adaptation of a traditional natural process. Inspired by the different types of fermentation used in a brewery, Mauricio developed this process to boost the tropical profile of the coffee. Whole cherries are shade-dried on raised beds for nearly 30 days - a traditional natural coffee will dry for just 10 to 20. The coffee must be stirred regularly to dry evenly and to help avoid defects. Whilst time consuming and labour intensive, this drying process allows distinct flavours to develop in the bean.