New Year, New Coffee: Guatemala Natural Los Conejos
It’s the first full week of January, and what better way to celebrate the new year than with a new single origin feature? Our latest offering is a tasty gem from Onyx Coffee Importers. Owned by third-generation farmer Edwin Martinez, Onyx is a vertically integrated producer, exporter, and importer and has worked tirelessly to build lasting relationships throughout the supply stream for over 17 years. In addition to producing and exporting the family coffee, Onyx works with neighboring farmers and communities to help them access the specialty market, offering single lot farms and regional blends.
Juilio Ordoñez, farmer (left) and his wife karen (center) at the specialty coffee Expo with Edwin Martinez, Founder & CEO of Onyx coffee importers
One of the producers they work with is the Ordoñez-Montenegro family, the owners of the Los Conejos Farm in Santa Rosa de Lima. The farm is nestled inside an old-growth pine forest and is rich in biodiversity. The soil is volcanic loam, and the Pinula River provides water access along the northern side of the property. With land and a microclimate perfect for growing coffee, the family purchased the land in 2014 and named it after the children’s pet rabbits brought to the farm.
Julio Ordoñez spearheads farm operations. He started slowly, planting trees in a small portion of the land and dedicating most of the coffees to natural processing. After receiving awards and recognition at regional competitions, the family invested more in production by planting more coffee varieties and experimenting with other processing methods.
Oscar Melgar, onyx producer liason (Center), touring the processing area of los conejos. to his left is the farmer, Julio Ordoñez, and on his opposite side is Mario Friley, agronomist engineer and Julio’s right hand m
Julio enhances the sweetness of this coffee by adding another step to the natural process. Once picked, cherries are placed in sealed fermentation tanks to deprive them of oxygen. For two days, the cherries in tanks are monitored for temperature and pH levels. Afterward, they are placed on raised beds inside a greenhouse and turned every few hours to ensure even drying. It takes 19 days for the cherries to dry to the optimal moisture content of 11-12%.
Although this lot is technically a natural anaerobic coffee, it tastes more like a classic natural processed Guatemalan coffee; it’s juicy with an approachable fruit flavor profile. When this coffee is fresh off roast, we taste notes of pomegranate, melon, and cacao nibs. But as the coffee ages and rests for at least a week, we’ve also picked up delicate strawberry notes. I love this coffee as a pour-over, but it’s also great when brewed on an auto-drip machine and served with cream!
