San Miguel Yotao is a small community in the Sierra Juárez (aka Sierra Norte, the namesake of one of our other coffee offerings) of Oaxaca, Mexico, and one of the first places we began working with when our project with our sourcing partner, Thomas of Red Beetle, started in 2017. This coffee brings together lots from several smallholder farmers in the village. For generations, producers in Yotao focused almost exclusively on washed coffees. Recently, however, a few farmers began experimenting with natural processing for the first time. The results have been exciting. Because each producer processed only small amounts, this coffee is a blend of natural lots from several farmers in the community. In the cup, the coffee is vibrant and layered, with notes of candied pecan and fig, a bright cherry-like acidity, and a cola-like sweetness. A medium body and juicy mouthfeel bring the flavors together for a smooth and lively finish. These early experiments with natural processing have opened the door to new possibilities for producers in Yotao, helping them access better prices and new markets for their coffee. While the group is not organically certified, farmers in the community follow organic farming practices, refusing to use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Like much of the coffee grown across Oaxaca, their coffee is cultivated under forest shade, a traditional approach that supports biodiversity and reflects a deep commitment to caring for both the land and their coffee.
How to Brew It:
This coffee should perform well on all brewing methods, with more clarity of flavor using filter methods and more body using immersion methods. We recommend using a coffee to water ratio of 1:15, with a brew temperature of 200-205 degrees.
