Introducing Nicaragua Agua Sarca: A High-Quality Coffee from the Cafetos de Segovia Dry Mill.
At Crown & Canvas, we are always on the lookout for unique and high-quality coffees from around the world. Our latest addition to our collection is Nicaragua Agua Sarca from Cafetos de Segovia, a dry mill located in Ocotal, Nicaragua.
The story behind this coffee is one of family, determination, and hard work. In 2015, a local producer family realized that the prices paid for coffee cherries in the region were too low, and that they could produce high-quality coffee on their own farm. They decided to create a dry mill to add value to their product, and that mill is now run by sisters Martha and Ana, along with their team. The family owns a few farms that were inherited from Martha and Ana’s father, and like many properties in the area, the story of the farms’ ownership is a complex one.
Despite the challenges, Cafetos de Segovia has become a beacon of quality coffee production in Nicaragua. During peak harvest, up to 300 quintales per day is delivered to the mill, which has a drying capacity of 3,000 quintales at any one time. Up to 30 people work at the mill during the season, and most of the coffee is delivered as wet parchment or cherries, with 80% of the lots being washed.
Nicaragua Agua Sarca is a washed coffee made from the Red Catuai varietal grown at an elevation of 1200-1400 MASL. It has a cup score of 85.5 and a unique tasting profile that includes notes of melon, apple, cinnamon, and caramel. This coffee is versatile and can be enjoyed as espresso or filter coffee.
The production of this coffee is done in an eco-friendly way, with RFA standards implemented on the farm. Shade with forest species, fruit trees, and mousavians are used, and low-intensity pesticides (green labels) are used on the farm. Coffee trees are pruned, and shade management is carried out to improve the infiltration of light in the farm. For the collection of coffee, only the ripe beans are collected.
After harvesting, the coffee is floated and pulped, and fermented for 18 to 24 hours before being washed. The coffee is always sent in plastic bags and macen bags to the mill, always ensuring the cleanliness of the means of transport. The coffee received in the dry mill is sent to African beds inside a micro tunnel (greenhouse) for drying. In the mill, coffee is never in contact with the ground, and to move it during drying, PVC rakes are used. When the coffee is dry, it is stored in a special area within the cellar, always separated from the other coffees that are in the mill.
At Crown & Canvas, we recommend resting beans for a minimum of 7 days for filter and 14 days for espresso before brewing to get the best flavor out of your coffee.
Nicaragua Agua Sarca is not just a delicious coffee, it's a story of resilience and passion for high-quality coffee production. Try it today and experience the unique taste of this exceptional coffee from Cafetos de Segovia.