Day 5 of the RISE Coffee Countdown Calendar - Peru, Alto Mayo
Did you know? Every fourth Friday in August Peruvian Coffee Day is celebrated! Peruvian Coffee Day celebrates the country’s rich coffee culture and the dedication of its hardworking farmers.
Origin: Peru
Location: Alto Mayo
Altitude: 1,300+ masl
Bean: Arabica
Varietals: Bourbon, Caturra, Sarchimor
Process: Washed
Tasting notes: Sweet nut, spices, sweet plum
Certifications: Fair Trade & Organic
Why Alice and Ben love it: This organic coffee is a dream for pour-over or filter brewing, and we highly recommend enjoying it black to fully appreciate its delicate flavours. Check out our filter pour-over brew method below to make the perfect cup
The lowdown on Organic coffee
Organic coffees are grown naturally, without chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilisers being used. This eco-friendly approach helps protect ecosystems and supports a more sustainable planet. Not every coffee comes with an organic label, as the certification can be quite costly for farmers.
Here's a bit more about organic farming processes:
Soil Health
Organic farming uses natural compost and crop rotation to enrich the soil and prevent erosion. This keeps the soil fertile and productive for years to come.
Water Conservation
Without harmful chemicals running into the water, organic farming safeguards nearby water sources, protecting aquatic ecosystems and ensuring clean water for the farmers living in the area.
Biodiversity
Many organic coffees are shade-grown meaning grown under the shade of trees. This helps to create habitats that support wildlife, such as birds and vital pollinators.
Lower Carbon Footprint
Organic farming relies on natural methods that generally consume less energy and avoid fossil fuel-based fertilisers, contributing to the fight against climate change.
How to brew:
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
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Drip brewer (funnel to sit on top of your coffee cup)
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15g freshly ground coffee
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Measuring spoon (ideally)
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT V60:
Step 1 - Get Ready
Place the V60 on top of your cup and the filter paper inside the cone
Step 2 - Prepare the filter paper
Rinse the filter paper and cup with hot water, throw away the excess water
Step 3 - Get the coffee in
Place 15g of coffee (per 250ml cup of water) in the cone and shake until it sits flat in the cone. Use either the Hario or the Acacia Pearl coffee scales to do this. Find out why here
Step 4 - Pouring
Pour roughly 50g of water, covering all of the coffee, and watch it foam!
Step 5 - Pour more
After 30 secs, pour in another 100g of water in a swirling motion to contact all of the coffee
Step 6 - And again!
Wait 60 secs (do a yoga pose!) pour in another 50g of water
Step 7 - Finally…
After 90 secs, pour in the remainder of the water
Step 8 - Serve
Now wait another 2 mins whilst it drips through - and you're done!
WHY MAKE A V60 DRIP BREW?
Drip brewing allows you to taste the complexity of a coffee, and understand those "tasting notes" that we are always banging on about. If you want to give a "v60" (medium) grind a go, but don't have a grinder, shoot us an email and we'll switch one of your regular bags for a V60 bag in your next box.
About the coffee:
Peru coffee is often hand picked on small farms that are connected by coopera- tives. Our coffee is selected and bought based on its vivid cup profile. Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios Solidarios Valle Verde (APAGROS) and Alto Mayo are the cooperatives we are currently buying from. The coffee we currently offer is from Alto Mayo*.
Alto Mayo
Founded in 2012 by Luis Alberto Minga Campos and other 15 small coffee farmers, this cooperative is characterised by the notable enthusiasm of their members. Right from the beginning their efforts were directed to improve the quality of their coffee while also improving the quality of life of their members and their families.
There are currently 1850 families of small coffee producers whose results of their good work generate profitability for them and that impacts the development of their communities and conservation and protection of the environment. Coffee production is being passed from generation to generation and any of the children of producers have opportunities to study and some work in the cooperative, others do not have the opportunity to study for economic resources, however they have the opportunity to train with the team of engineers and then work in the technical department of the cooperative.
