KB Peru Eulogio Chipao Whole Bean

8.8oz / 250g Whole Bean
Notes: Peach, Apricot, Jasmine, Nectarine, Citrus
Region: Pacaybamba, Incahausi, Cusco
Producer: Eulogio Chipao
Varietal: SL9 or "Inca Gesha" - Genetically/Historically Complex
Process: Washed
Elevation: 2200 m
 
From KB:
 
"Eulogio Chipao is an active member of his community in Pacaybamba and chaired the Incahuasi cooperative for three years, from 2018 to 2021. In this capacity, he represented the farmers, ensuring quality management, monitoring coffee production volumes and redistribution of payments, thus guaranteeing their fair share of the FOB price.
 
We met Eulogio at his small café in Pacaybamba, where he roasts his own coffee and sells it at the local market. On the way to his farm, he explained the Ayni system and how the community functions, based on sharing information and methods for the benefit of all. Harvest time is a collective effort: workdays last 5 to 6 hours, and lunch is always provided. We spotted a storm cloud approaching his farm, so we took the drone to fly over it. We promised to return for lunch with the community on our next trip to Incahuasi, whose name literally means "Don't forget me."
 
The SL9 variety, or ancient Ethiopian variety known as Geisha Inca, has mutated in the region over the decades. Long neglected due to its low yield, it is now cultivated in greater quantities by Eulogio, thanks to experienced quality management. The results are excellent, and the community benefits greatly.
 
The members of each committee within the Incahuasi cooperative share the same Inca origins and culture. Traditionally, the Incas shared tasks within the community. Even today, members of the Incahuasi cooperative use the methods of Minka (for sharing infrastructure work) and Ayni (for daily collaboration among farmers). This collaboration allows each farmer to refine their practices and perfect them within the Inca tradition.
 
AGRICULTURE:
Within the Incahuasi cooperative, producers share agroforestry methods. The cooperative provides agronomists who advise farmers in the field and offer them knowledge and support regarding the use of organic compost and fertilization. These operations are carried out twice a year, during the flowering and ripening of the coffee cherries.
 
Weeding and pruning are carried out after the rainy season, from May to August. Due to the pronounced dry season during the harvest, from September to December, irrigation is provided by the numerous springs and water points fed by the mountainous terrain.
 
Many farmers separate their coffee plantations from their other crops by planting only shade trees between the coffee trees. These are mainly native species such as cedar, tarco, robel, and yanay. This practice helps maintain the ecosystem and insect populations.
 
The harvest in the Incahuasi Valley is the latest in Peru, due to its extremely high altitude and particularly isolated climate southwest of Cusco. The harvest begins in September and peaks in October. Harvesting at higher altitudes continues into November, with the final harvest taking place in December.
 
TRANSFORMATION:
Although the dry season allows for the production of natural coffee, the majority of the coffee from the Incahuasi cooperative is washed coffee. However, thanks to the dry and stable climatic conditions and the high altitude, the dry fermentation method using honey is employed.
 
Fully ripe cherries are picked and floated in water before being pulped to remove any green or insect-damaged cherries. Once this sorting is complete, the cherries are pulped and placed in clean fermentation tanks where they ferment without water, in their own mucilage. The cool climate ensures the stability of this process, with fermentation times reduced to 24-36 hours. Dry fermentation also minimizes the environmental impact of wastewater.
 
After fermentation, the coffee is washed and placed on raised drying beds. The parchment is turned evenly 5 to 6 times a day at an altitude of approximately 2,100 meters. Drying at this altitude takes 10 to 12 days to reach a stable moisture content of 10 to 11.5%.
 
After drying, the coffee is transported to the Incahuasi cooperative headquarters in Andahuaylas, where it is tested and graded according to its quality. This warehouse, located at an altitude of over 2,800 meters, benefits from a cool climate and very stable humidity."