Peru – Eli Espinoza

FARM STORY

Eli Espinoza owns four hectares of coffee plantations in the area around the village of Las Pirias in the Chirinos region, which is one of the most renowned coffee regions in Peru. Eli came here as a teenager looking for work. He started by picking coffee on other people’s farms. Over time, he earned enough to buy his own land and a house, which stands at an altitude of 1,800 meters. Today, he farms several plots scattered around the village, at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,000 meters above sea level.

He processes the coffee directly at his home. In addition to Typica, Caturra, and Bourbon, he also grows Geisha, a variety that has become a symbol of delicate, complex flavor in recent years.

Chirinos is a region with growing interest in quality coffee. Large local cooperatives have been supporting growers here for years to focus on processing that makes sense and therefore on prices that reflect the work they put into the coffee.

HOW THE COFFEE IS PROCESSED

Eli processes this coffee using the washed method, which means that after harvesting, the coffee cherry goes through a water bath, where ripe fruits are separated from unripe or damaged ones. Then the pulp is removed, and the coffee bean is washed in water until it’s clean.

After rinsing, Eli dries the coffee first for one day in the shade, then moves it to a solar drying tent, where he has full control over the conditions. Drying takes about 35 days – slowly, calmly, so that the bean dries evenly and the flavor remains clean.

Washed coffee is a processing method that emphasizes the natural flavor of the variety and the place where it grows. It’s clean, clear, straightforward.

VARIETY

Geisha is a variety originally from Ethiopia, which became famous for its delicate, floral flavor and lightness. In South America, it’s valued mainly at higher altitudes, where it has time to ripen slowly. Eli grows it at altitudes around 2,000 meters, where Geisha gets exactly what it needs: cold, time, and peace.