Guatemala La Senda Carbonic Maceration

Finca La Senda in Guatemala has been around in some form since the 1940s, when the father of now-owner Arnoldo Pérez Melendez pioneered the planting of coffee in the small village of Aldea el Sacorro. The 27 acre farm, which extends up the hillside above the village towards Mount Balàm (known as “Hill of the Jaguar” in the native language) on rich volcanic soil, is now run by Arnoldo and his wife, Maria Eugenia Escobar, as well as their children. We have been working directly with La Senda since 2019, 2 years after our green-buying partner Thomas of Red Beetle Coffee Lab visited their farm and helped to persuade Alfonso and Maria to switch to specialty coffee production and processing from their more commodity focused production methods. Now known for their more experimental processing techniques, our first La Senda that we are proud to release this year is an extended Carbonic Maceration: ripe cherries are first anaerobically fermented in a bioreactor flushed with Carbon Dioxide, then depulped and anaerobically fermented again, for a total of over 300 hours(!) before being semi-washed in tanks and set out to dry in the shade on African-style drying beds for 4 weeks, constantly being agitated by hand to make sure that all of the beans dry evenly. This year's harvest of La Senda Washed CM is absolutely delicious, offering tasting notes of plum, cacao nib, starfruit acidity, brown sugar sweetness and a smooth, lingering medium body.

How to Brew It:

Best enjoyed using filter methods to experience the more subtle flavors, this would also perform well on french press. Brew ratios should be between 1:15 and 1:16, at a temperature of between 200 and 205 degrees.

CountryGuatemala

RegionAcatenango, Chimaltenango

FarmSeveral Small Farmers

Altitude1650 – 2000 Meters

VarietalsCaturra & Bourbon

Production MethodCarbonic Maceration

Roast LevelLight/Medium

La Senda Carbonic Maceration

Guatemala

Tasting Notes

Chocolatey Aroma Molasses Sweetness Hazelnut BananaMild Apple AciditySilky Mouthfeel

Finca La Senda's lot from Acatenango, Chimaltenango showcases carbonic maceration, a technique that intensifies fruit-forward characteristics in coffee. The blend of Caturra & Bourbon varietals grown at 1650–2000 masl delivers a distinctive profile: plum and starfruit acidity frame brown sugar and molasses sweetness, while chocolatey aromatics and hazelnut provide grounding richness. Silky mouthfeel carries hints of banana and mild apple acidity through the finish. Vigilante Coffee has roasted this microbatch to emphasize the interplay between the varietal character and the fermentation process's enhanced complexity, making it well-suited for those seeking both sweetness and bright, layered acidity.