Country: Guatemala
Region: Palencia, Guatemala
Farm: El Socorro
Farmer/Grower: Juan Diego de la Cerda
Varieties: Geshae
Processing: Washed
Altitude: 1500-1800 m.a.s.l.
Grade: SHB
Marks: 011-0890-0147
Reference ID: HA-3194-04
Humidity: 11.70%
Density: 1.16 g/ml
Harvest Date: March, 2024
Arrival Date: November, 2024
SCA Cupping Score: 88.50
This lot lives up to the reputation of excellence that Juan Diego has established at El Socorro, offering deliciously delicate sweet and floral notes that we rarely find in coffee.
The farm was originally part of Hacienda San Guayaba. In 1968, Dr. Mario de la Cerda and his wife, Maria Colom de la Cerda, reclaimed the property for the family. In 1980, their son, Juan de la Cerda Colom, began cultivating coffee, marking the start of a legacy now carried forward by the fourth generation. Today, Juan de la Cerda and his son, Juan Diego, are dedicated to continuing to produce some of the best coffees in the world.
Their success stems from strict quality control across the entire process, including plant/farm management, picking protocols, fermentation, and drying.
The 750ha farm features an efficient ecological wet mill, which dry-depulps coffee cherries, and mechanically transports the coffee which then reuses water during processing. Since 2005, The El Socorro team have conducted experiments to standardize the fermentation process using hot water, achieving excellent results with faster fermentation times. Their coffees are dried on patios and in a greenhouse, to ensure consistent quality.
55% of the farm is reserved for natural forest with native trees interspersed with coffee plants to provide adequate shade and protect biodiversity. Power is generated by solar panels to operate the equipment on the farm.