Enrique Abad's farm was founded in 2016 in the Loja region of Ecuador. He has 8 hectares with 4 hectares planted with coffee trees. The region is very dry, so the coffee is grown in the shade receiving one fertilization per year. In 2024, the Las Aradas canton where his farm is located suffered forest fires that consumed large areas. Every year he works to improve his practices to increase the value of his coffee. Recently, Enrique has worked to improve post-harvest processing. New fermentation infrastructure has been implemented with the purchase of new tanks and better techniques for both fermentation and drying control.

Process

Washed coffee is the norm in Ecuador, where most of the lots are either depulped, fermented, and washed or mechanically washed using a demucilaging machine. Coffees are typically dried on patios or on raised beds, often under a cover of plastic or mesh.

It is important to note this coffee was intentionally processed utilizing anaerobic fermentation. In general, placing freshly-harvested cherries inside a sealed container or bag of some sort for a period of time will create a flavor impact. We find those anaerobically-fermented coffees often exhibit an increase in the intensity of fruit and acidity and a slight increase in the body. Nonetheless, the anaerobic fermentation process has a distinct impact on the outcome of the flavor profile.