Sold Out Archives - Arango Specialty Coffee

130 | El Edén / Gesha

Producer Francisco Giraldo	Description Floral, lemongrass, honey, citrus
Process Washed	Varietals Gesha
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,900 meters
Position Sold out	Warehouse Continental, New Jersey

Our strong relationship with Francisco has helped us work through some particularly challenging times over the past two years. A resurgence of activity among illegal paramilitary groups in the area had a direct impact on the farmers and their families. With multiple displacements during the harvest, Francisco and his wife, Amparo, were forced to leave cherries in the fields, pack their belongings, and move the family to the nearest town in search of safety.

Francisco continues to look towards the future and it does not surprise us that he remains so dedicated in the face of adversity. He has lived through many years of armed conflict and fell victim to a landmine himself in 2009. Lucky to escape with his life, he lost one eye as well as his sense of taste and smell. However, his dedication to his coffee never faltered. He grew up working with coffee alongside his father at El Edén and chose to continue the legacy after his father passed away.

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215 | Santa Ana – Pink Bourbon

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Producer Brayan Meneses	Description Sweet, molasses, grape, floral
Process Washed, sun-dried	Varietals Pink Bourbon
Region Nariño	Elevation 1,960 meters
Position Sold out	Warehouse Continental, New Jersey

At 33 years of age, Brayan is part of the new generation of coffee growers. He is one of the youngest farmers we work with, but that does not mean he is lacking in knowledge. He learned everything he knows about coffee from his grandfather and has fond memories of going to help in the coffee fields after school.

In addition to his hands-on coffee education, Brayan also completed school as a computer technician and wants to pursue a degree in agronomy. With this higher grade of education, he is able to look at the industry from a different perspective. He saw the need to shift from more traditional coffee harvesting to specialty coffee production about 4 years ago and is using his knowledge to improve quality on every level. Since then, he has participated in several competitions in the region over the last couple of years and has placed in the top 10 every time.

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15 | El Mango – Pink Bourbon

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Producer Gilberto Giraldo	Description Floral, honey, tea, stone fruit
Process Washed	Varietals Chiroso
Region Antioquia	Elevation 1,800 meters
Position Sold out	Warehouse Continental, New Jersey

Like other farms in the area, Gilberto and El Mango have experienced a couple of challenging years. Dramatic climate changes in the last few years have diminished the production yield considerably. On top of that, the resurgence of activity among armed illegal groups in the region led to multiple displacements from the farm, including once during the harvest last year.

While these obstacles proved difficult to overcome, Gilberto took them in stride and is still planning for the upcoming years. He has new varietals like Chirosos and Pink Bourbon, that are mature now and is excited to experiment with different processing methods. His unwavering commitment to El Mango is evident and we are equally committed to riding out the ups and downs with him.

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191 | Brisas del Mayo

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Producer Froilan Muñoz	Description Floral, brown sugar, black cherry
Process Washed	Varietals Pink Bourbon
Region Nariño	Elevation 2,100 meters
Position Sold out	Warehouse Continental, New Jersey

Froilan learned about growing coffee from his father, but initially did not think it was a viable crop at Brisas del Mayo due to the high elevation. At 2,100 meters above sea level, the climate was generally considered too cold for coffee. Eventually, he decided to take a gamble and plant some trees.

While he will admit that there are extra challenges, Froilan has successfully established his coffee crop at Brisas del Mayo. The property is now producing coffees of the Pink Bourbon, Gesha, and Castillo varietals. One benefit to the cooler weather is that pests and diseases that typically infest coffee plants also prefer the warmer, more humid climates. Due to the elevation, Frolian is able to grow more delicate varietals known for their cup quality with less risk of disease. The cooler weather also provides for a slower maturation of the beans, which gives the flavors more time to develop.

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