Guatemala El Socorro Yellow Bourbon

About Guatemala El Socorro Yellow Bourbon

Arrived October 2024, new crop, in Grainpro. This is El Socorro's lovely and affordable Yellow Bourbon variety.  El Socorro won 1st Place in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence for a Geisha coffee in 2020 and 2023. This excellent farm produces multiple varieties including this Yellow Bourbon, Pacamara, Maracaturra and several others including their prized Laurina.  Everything they produce can be relied upon for top quality.

We have offered several coffees from the El Socorro in past years, and are fortunate enough to have procured some this season too. The multi award winning farm is located within a half hour of Guatemala City, in the town of Palencia. The land was bought by Mario de la Cerda in 1960 as part of Hacienda San Guayaba, and later split off to become a separately identified property. Today, both farms are owned and operated by a father and son team, Juan and Juan Diego de la Cerda. The El Socorro farm is certified by Rainforest Alliance, and all wetmill, drying and milling is done on site. The farm is a total of 700 hectares, but only 85 are used for coffee production. A like amount of land is used for dairy farming, and the balance is a nature reserve for wild regional species and migratory birds.

Of note is the farm's unusual and highly effective processing technique for all of their coffee. The farm is at a high altitude, and can get very hot during the day. By contrast, the natural springs on the farm used in the wetmill provide very cold water. Juan and Juan Diego came to feel that plunging the hot, freshly harvested cherries into the cold spring water was causing two problems: shock and extended fermentation time, both of which they felt to be injurious to the final cup. Instead, they experimented with washing the harvested coffee in warm water, settling on a temperature nearly the same as the cherries' internal temperature (about 100 degrees F). This eased the cherries into a gradual cooling period and reduced the fermentation cycle to a 24-48 hour time span. The result is a striking, intensely fruity and floral profile.

El Socorro Farm Awards (not specifically this varietal).

• 2023 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 1st place (Geisha)
• 2021 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 2nd place (Geisha)
• 2020 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 1st place (Geisha)
• 2015 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 3rd place
• 2012 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 2nd place
• 2011 Cup of Excellence® Winning farm - 1st place

This thoughtful approach to coffee preparation has not gone unnoticed. El Socorro has won an award in the Cup of Excellence Competition 8 times in the past 12 years, and even placed first in 2007, 2011, 2020 and 2023. While this variety has not won an award, we think this coffee still shows the care and attention common to the award winners.

• Department: Guatemala
• Municipality: Palencia
• Altitude: 5050-6100 Feet above sea level (1540-1860 masl)
• Coffee Variety: Yellow Bourbon
• Processing: Washed
• Harvest: January-April

Cup Characteristics: Yellow Bourbon can be very sweet and this one delivers on that claim. Flavors of key lime and a mild melon sweetness with honey mouthfeel. Notes of green apple flavor and acidity mixed with a sweet, smooth finish. Jammy, structured and approachable.

Roasting Notes: This very delicate, complex coffee will shine at City+. Roasting to Full City or beyond will mask some of the intense fruitiness of this coffee so we recommend keeping it on the lighter, though fully developed side. Depending on your roaster, take beyond 1st Crack but avoid the approach of 2nd Crack.