Single Origin Feature: Nicaragua PRODECOOP
The Nicaragua PRODECOOP has been a reliable favorite in our café for years. It's balanced and consistent, and versatile enough that it goes into our BQE blend alongside other single origins we rely on. This is an introduction to what it is on its own.
Where it comes from
Nicaragua's northern departments, Estelí, Madriz, and Nueva Segovia, are considered the country's strongest growing regions for specialty coffee. Ours comes from farms between 3,900 and 4,900 feet, which qualifies it as SHG: Strictly High Grown. The designation is altitude-based. Above roughly 4,400 feet, cooler temperatures slow cherry maturation, and that extended development produces denser beans with more concentrated flavor compounds. The primary varieties are Caturra and Bourbon. Caturra is a naturally occurring mutation of Bourbon with a brighter, fruitier profile and clean acidity. Bourbon tends toward richer, more balanced complexity with chocolate and caramel character. Together they account for the range you get in the cup.
The cooperative
PRODECOOP was established in 1992 as a second-tier cooperative, meaning it supports 38 smaller base cooperatives rather than contracting directly with individual farms. Those cooperatives together represent around 2,700 small-scale farmers across the three regions, 30% of whom operate women-owned farms. The organization provides marketing assistance, technical training, credit access, and quality improvement programs to its member cooperatives. PRODECOOP exports roughly 30,000 bags annually, about half of which are certified organic.
How it's processed
Washed and sun-dried. Removing the fruit before drying keeps the cup clean and the flavors direct: brown sugar, walnut, and fig, without the fermented or heavy fruit notes a natural process would introduce. The body is balanced and the finish is consistent, which is part of why it works as a blending component and holds up just as well on its own.
Fall Favorites
This fall we're shining a light on the single origins that have earned their place in our rotation, and the Nicaragua is one of them. Pick some up while it's featured, and if you want a starting point for how to brew it, we've got you covered. It's a good cup for the season ahead.
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