April Coffee Roasters - El Socorro, Washed Maracaturra | Guatemala
Description
Guatemala — Diego de la Cerda Finca El Socorro Maracaturra (Washed)
Tastes Like — 🍑 Peach • 🍬 Nougat • 🌸 Florals
DETAILS
- Producer: Diego de la Cerda
- Farm: Finca El Socorro
- Region: Palencia, Guatemala
- Varietal: Maracaturra
- Process: Washed
- Altitude: 1,800 MASL
- Size: 250g
INTRO
From Diego de la Cerda's Finca El Socorro in Palencia — the washed expression of one of Guatemala's most celebrated varietals from one of its most decorated farms. Clean, structured, and elegantly sweet, with the elevated body that Maracaturra consistently delivers. In the cup: fresh peach, nougat sweetness, and delicate florals.
THE PRODUCER
Finca El Socorro has been in the de la Cerda family since 1960, located in Palencia just 50 kilometres from Guatemala City. Diego is a third-generation producer who has spent the past 15 years expanding the farm's varietal range and refining processing techniques to deliver consistently exceptional quality. The farm's commitment to excellence has earned it multiple Cup of Excellence awards and a reputation as one of Guatemala's most respected specialty producers.
Maracaturra is a natural hybrid of Maragogype and Caturra, thought to have originated in Brazil in the 1800s. Its large bean size has earned it the nickname "Elephant Bean", while its Caturra heritage contributes both flavour clarity and generous yields. El Socorro first received Maracaturra seeds from Anacafé — Guatemala's national coffee association — and expanded production after the variety demonstrated its potential through top competition rankings. Diego believes that reducing fermentation time through the use of hot water following milling maintains optimal bean density and leads to greater cup quality — a philosophy that is evident in the clean, well-structured profile of this lot.
THE PROCESS
The Washed process at Finca El Socorro involves:
🍒 Hand-picking — Cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🔧 Depulping — Outer skin removed before fermentation 💧 Hot water acceleration — Hot water used after milling to accelerate and shorten fermentation time, preserving bean density and cup clarity 🧪 Fermentation — Beans fermented for a controlled, reduced period 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed to remove all fermentation residue ☀️ Drying — Dried using a combination of patio drying, shade drying, and raised beds to optimal moisture content
The hot water-accelerated fermentation is the defining step — Diego's belief that shorter fermentation maintains optimal bean density and greater cup quality is clearly borne out in the clean, structured, and well-defined profile this lot delivers, with the Maracaturra's natural sweetness and elevated body preserved in full.
THE CUP
A clean, sweet, and beautifully structured washed Maracaturra from one of Guatemala's most consistently excellent farms — fresh peach brightness, warm nougat sweetness, and a delicate floral character, with the full body and creamy mouthfeel that make this variety so distinctive. A reliable and elegant expression of El Socorro's long-standing quality.
Flavour Notes
🍑 Peach 🍬 Nougat 🌸 Florals
