ESPRECHELON - our seasonal, single-origin house espresso ///

Origin - Guatemala

Region - Baja Verapaz, Copan

Process - Washed

Producer - Chichupak Co-operative

Altitude - 1600-2000m

Variety - Bourbon

Tasting notes - Dark chocolate, vanilla, tropical

Suggested espresso recipe - 18g in / 37g out / 31 seconds

Our fifth espresso-specific coffee is a washed Bourbon lot from the Chichupak Co-operative in the mountainous Baja Verapaz department of central Guatemala.

This is a producer group we know well, having enjoyed their 2022 lot here at Echelon. Naturally, we were keen to cup their coffees again as part of our selection process for Esprechelon, and we were delighted by the clarity, balance and sweetness of this harvest.

Chichupak means “soap plant place” as people here used to grow Achi to make soap. And although only 100km from the state capital, Chichupak sits at the top of one of the highest peaks in Baja Verapaz, rendering the region remote and hard to access.

As a community of subsistence farmers, coffee is one of their most important cash crops and connection with the outside world. Led by Faustín Chen and Mario Sic, there is a strong focus on improving livelihoods and increasing returns through quality. Members process their cherry at the Cooperative’s mill, where they can access the depulpers, fermentation tanks, wash channels, raised drying beds, driers, and patios. The Chichupak mill also has its own water treatment plant to ensure waste water is fully decontaminated and avoid negative ecological impact in the community.