Finca San José Filter

The Veracruz region stretches from the coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico steeply up into the mountain ranges. The history of Mexican coffee began here, when Spanish immigrants brought the first plants to the country. Amid this landscape steeped in tradition, near the city of Coatepec, lies Finca San José, owned by Alejandro Martinez Anaya.

Alejandro farms a total of 250 hectares of land. He places particular emphasis on the Anacafe 14 variety—a naturally occurring cross between Pacamara and a Catimor type—which he cultivates on around 60 hectares. This variety was first discovered in 1980 and later established as a resilient variety by the Anacafe coffee association. It is gaining importance today as a robust response to the challenges of coffee leaf rust, which has put many farms under pressure in recent years.

The farm's processing reflects patience and precision. After harvesting, the cherries are first fermented whole for 18 hours. Only the following day is the fruit removed and the beans washed. The coffee is then dried over an unusually long period of 32 days beneath a so-called “Casa Elba,” a special roof structure that allows for slow, gentle drying.

This effort marks a significant shift in the image of Mexican coffee. While the country's beans were historically often known as a dependable, nutty foundation for blends, producers like Alejandro now focus on quality and complex profiles. Combining resistant hybrids with precise fermentation creates coffees that redefine the potential of Coatepec, one of the country's oldest growing regions, and go far beyond the classic standard.