Mexico Chiapas Finca La Chilana
Most of the coffee coming from Mexico comes from one of three regions: Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Situated high in the Sierra Madre mountains, Chiapas borders Guatemala, and produces some of Mexico’s highest grown coffee. In fact, Chiapas is responsible for most of Mexico’s coffee production, some 40% on average.
But it’s not been an easy road for the state and its people; they have endured a lot of hardship in recent decades and are still recovering to this day. The collapse of trade agreements and proliferation of coffee plant diseases in the late 80s caused devastation for the region’s coffee economy. But the people of Chiapas take great pride in their culture and history and have overcome a lot of adversity to get where they are with regards to coffee production. This translates to a revival in the quality of coffee produced in the region and we’re excited to see that hard work pay off for the producers!
This offering was produced by Jennifer Polenz De Villarreal, the manager of Finca La Chilana since 1978. Her family has been in the coffee business for over a century! The terroir in Chiapas is known for imparting a dark chocolate and cherry heavy flavor profile to the cup and that is exactly what we noted! We tasted cherry cola, plum, dark chocolate and with just a touch of peanut butter. Along with the full body, creamy texture and a dash of sweetness, it makes for a delectable cup of coffee sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Reminder! This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing
Arrival Date: August 25, 2023; Harvest year: 2023, Packed in Ecotact
Acidity & Brightness: Moderate brightness and fairly sweet
Balance & Finish: Fairly balanced with a moderately clean finish
Body & Texture: Full body and creamy texture
Flavors: Cherry cola, plum, dark chocolate & peanut
Grade: SHG-EP, grown at 1300 masl
Processing: Fully washed
Grower: Jennifer Pohlenz De Villarreal | Finca La Chilana
Region: El Triunfo, Chiapas, Mexico
Varietals: Sarchimor & Caturra
Recommended Roast Range: City+ to Full City+ (light-medium to medium-dark)
We like this coffee best at Full City (Medium), or just before the second crack. Lighter to medium roasts accentuate stone fruit flavors of cherry and plum as well as bringing out some lemon zest but you’ll want to roast more to the medium level if you’re looking to develop body and sweetness. Darker roasts will pull out deeper, more rich chocolate and nuttiness and will be less acidic if that is desired.
De La Finca - “Jennifer is the current manager of Finca La Chilana in El Triunfo in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Chiapas, Mexico. Her family has been in coffee for over a century and managing this current farm since 1978.
They are deeply committed to taking care of the environment and growing coffee in a sustainable way. We’ve been working with since 2020 to bring in their coffees and sell directly to the US.”
