NICARAGUA – EL ARBOL (GRAND CRU)

ABOUT THIS COFFEE
Behind El Árbol farm is Claudia Lovo, who acquired it in 2016 in partnership with Sasa Sestic.
Claudia lives on the farm year-round. She grows several coffee varieties there, as well as intercrops such as ginger, fruit, and legumes. The farm employs around twenty people, who take part in coffee production as well as growing the food consumed on-site. Workers’ meals are prepared with produce from the farm itself.
“El Árbol” means “the tree” in Spanish. The name pays tribute to a majestic tree located in the center of the property and reflects the management principles followed there. Symbolically, this ancient tree at the heart of the farm embodies the central place given to nature in its agricultural approach. The trees are preserved, and the use of chemical inputs is strictly regulated—only products classified in the blue or green bands are permitted. The farm is a small ecosystem shared by people and farm animals, and also serves as a refuge for dogs.
El Árbol is also a place for experimentation. It was there that the coffee carbonic maceration process was developed by Claudia and Sasa. This method produces fruitier and fuller-bodied cup profiles and helps bring out the qualities of coffee varieties commonly grown in Nicaragua.
Finally, thanks to the Bridazul project, launched by Claudia in 2019, the farm has become a place for knowledge sharing and collaboration. The cold room used for carbonic fermentation is available to other producers.

Carbonic maceration
This lot undergoes the signature Carbonic Maceration process developed at Finca El Arbol as part of the Bridazul project.
Borrowed from the world of wine, carbonic maceration allows coffee to develop more fruity notes and adds body, complexity, and richness to the cup.
1° First, the cherries ferment in sealed tanks placed in a temperature-controlled room.
2° Fermentation produces CO2 in the tank and forces the air out through a special valve. The cherries then ferment in an anaerobic environment in the presence of CO2. This promotes fermentation inside the fruit. This is known as fermentation from the inside out, as opposed to fermentation that occurs from the outside in when yeast or other ingredients external to the coffee, such as fruit, are added.
This stage lasts several days, until the cherries reach a rich, gelatinous texture.
3° Once removed from the tanks, the cherries are placed on African beds and dried in a thick layer to develop even more sweetness.