Santo

RECOMMENDED BREW METHOD

16:1 Pour-over, 13:1 French Press, Drip

FARM: LA PIRAGUA

FARM SIZE: 10.0 HECTARES

LOT INFO - The name La Piragua comes from a local name for a boat - the idea is that they are casting off and navigating the world of coffee with a sense of adventure and openness to learning!

Alexander Vargas told us that things have been difficult because the younger generations have been leaving coffee. He’s brought his young son Arley into the family business, and Arley has not only participated, he’s made his mark. They have equipment to carefully track fermentations, all plotted in an Excel sheet, and they make tiny changes that result in delightful flavors. , Every day, Alexander wakes up with a deep love for his work. Coffee farming is not just his profession but his passion. They use both washed and natural processes to offer coffees with a variety of exciting profiles, however, this natural lot was a beautiful surprise.

Every process, every coffee bean, represents an opportunity to improve and exceed expectations. For him, being a coffee grower is a vocation that fills him with pride and satisfaction, and it shows in spades in the cup!

PRODUCER INFO - Arley is part of the family business, working at La Piragua along with his father Alexander Vargas. The family prioritizes sustainable coffee production, including incorporating regenerative practices on thefarm and sowing trees to reforest.

Alexander Vargas is a well-known name in the municipality of Palestina, specifically in the Los Olivos village. From a very young age, Alexander has been immersed in the world of coffee. At the age of 15, he began his journey in coffee farming, following in the footsteps of his parents, who were also coffee producers on the family farm. This tradition of cultivating coffee has not only been maintained but has evolved significantly over the decades.

At the age of 20, Alexander decided to take a step further in his career as a coffee grower, dedicating himself to the production of specialty coffees. This decision marked the beginning of a 20-year trajectory in which he has perfected his technique and experimented with various varieties and processes.

His passion for coffee is evident in every aspect of his work, from planting to the drying process. 

Alexander has been a national finalist in the Cup of Excellence on four occasions, a testament to the quality of his coffee. Diversifying crops is also a strategy that Alexander has adopted to keep the farm productive throughout the year. In the high part of the farm, he cultivates dragon fruit on approximately two hectares. This crop not only adds variety to his products but also provides him with a complementary activity during periods when coffee production decreases.