We met Pacho Ureña and his family back on our first sourcing trip to Costa Rica in 2018. The picture below shows a very young Pacho from back then. Visiting the family micro-mill La Chumeca then and more recently at the beginning of 2024 remain highlights in Crankhouse's sourcing trips over the years. Pacho's energy is engaging and he loves seeing La Chumeca coffees being represented by roasters across the globe. We bought a few lots from them this season including a Gesha from Don Martin's (papa) farm, and the uniquely named '777' process.

Since its inception La Chumeca has focused only on Natural processing, and more recently with anaerobic processing and other modern processing techniques. La Chumeca has become well known in Costa Rica for its quality coffees, many of which have featured on stage at national barista championships. During the most recent trip we were treated to a cupping table of a mix of varieties and processes from their four family farms. Pacho's La Fila Natural was one of our picks and we're very happy to share this with you.

The family’s property is the mill and contains a number of impressive spaces dedicated to production of coffee. Just a few meters from the entrance to their house is the “fermentation station,” consisting of a dozen stainless steel tanks lined up under a wooden structure. This space is monitored closely by mathematician and coffee farmer Emilio. Just past this fermentation space is a trail that leads through the forested area which acts as veins throughout the coffee fields. Beyond the trail is the drying space, surrounded by coffee trees and interlaced with immaculately maintained grass, flowers, and ponds. The drying area is overlooked by a tree house that has wonderful views of the drying beds, as well as the wide-stretching slopes of coffee full of Tarrazú character.

Spread across the four farms at different altitudes are a number of varieties including the traditional Caturra-Catuai, Montana H17 (a cross between Catuai and Ethiopian landrace e521), Costa Rica 95, and Geisha. They also plant a variety of fruit trees across the various altitudes to attract a mix of birds, which helps maintain pest predation. Currently they process a total of 25 different lots of farms, varieties and processes, all sun-dried in the most beautiful of settings.

This natural from La Fila undergoes a 24hr period of oxidation (in orange sacks) where the temperature reaches between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius, the idea is try to increase the acidity and also the body in the final cup. Then the cherries are taken to the African beds for the drying process.

I'd taken a bag of their 777 Catuai with me from last season to give to them as a gift and it was another humbling moment seeing their eyes light up. Don Martin (papa) said something when he received the bag that re-enforced what this 'business' is all about - it's the connections you make: "In this moment with this beautiful gift I am very happy and I can forget the hardships of the season".