Honduras
Santa Barbara
Jorge Alberto Lanza Ruiz
La Huerta
Catimor
Washed
December to June
Cacao Nibs, Caramel, Chocolate, Creamy body, Dry finish, Grapes, Hazelnut, Lemon, Mandarine, Tart
1650 meters
N/A
69kg w/GrainPro
EU - Hamburg, Germany - Schwarze
Before becoming a coffee producer, Jorge Lanza held various jobs in different factories. In 1999, he joined the National Association of Coffee Growers of Honduras (ANACAFEH), where he was appointed general manager. With his savings, Jorge purchased a property in Quimistán, Santa Bárbara, and began his journey as a conventional coffee producer.
In 2009, ANACAFEH appointed Jorge as president of the organization. Motivated by a desire to produce higher-quality coffee, he acquired another property in Las Flores, Santa Bárbara. The elevation and rich ecosystem of this land offered the perfect conditions for specialty coffee cultivation. Through dedication and hard work, Jorge participated in the 2013 Cup of Excellence (COE), securing first place for the best coffee.
Jorge remains committed to sustaining his farm by continually renewing his plots to keep them productive. He prioritizes correct processing techniques and strives to implement the best agronomic practices to maintain the exceptional quality of his coffee.
His meticulous approach begins with careful hand-picking of only the ripest cherries and for this washed process, on the same afternoon of harvest, the cherries are depulped, and the parchment is placed in fermentation tanks for approximately 12 hours. After fermentation, the parchment is washed in three stages and then transported to San Pedro Sula, where it is dried on raised beds until reaching a humidity level of 10%. Finally, the coffee is packed in plastic bags to preserve its ideal moisture content before storage.
Santa Barbara
The Honduran Department of Santa Barbara is one of the country’s 18 departments. It stretches from the border with Guatemala into the central mountain highlands. The Reserva de Vida Silvestre Montaña Verde wild animal preserve and the Santa Barbara Mountain are two of the main natural feaures of the department.
To the east of the Santa Barbara Mountain, covered in primary rainforest filled with rich biodiversity, the shores of Lake Yojoa form part of the department’s borders. This region of Honduras is rich with smallholder agricultural production and far removed from the sprawling cities of San Pedro Sula to the north and the capital Tegucigalpa to the southeast.
The verdant mountains of Santa Barabara are part of three of Honduras’ coffee growing regions: Copan, Opalaca, and Montecillos. Temperatures range from 12-22 degrees Celsius throughout the year and shade trees over coffee include fruit trees, such as guava, and forest hardwoods, such as pine.
