Nicaragua Parainema Natural

in an unusual twist of experimentation, this Nicaragua was sundried to make it more complex and sweeter. It also is more labor intensive, so the price on the natural processed coffees tend to be higher even though the actual cost and water usage on the farm is less. This is the Parainema varietal which I've only had from Honduras before, and it's my favorite varietal in Honduras so I was curious to see the results of growing it in Nicaragua. 

The coffee is best as a light roast, but it holds its own as a medium roast. If you roast it Full City (about halfway between first cracks ending and second cracks beginning), it has a aloevera flavor with above average sweetness. There's a little bit of a vegetable taste and flowers. If you take it close to the 2nd cracks, its less sweet but still has a creamy mouthfeel and even some jasmine. You wouldn't normally roast a natural coffee this dark, but it seems to hold up okay to the heat. The name of the farm is Finca Monte Sinai.

Nicaraguan microlots always disappoint me compared to other countries. But for what it is, it is one of the most pleasant and complex beans we have seen come out of Nicaragua. It's not like other coffees that we currently have in stock, so it was fun playing around with different roasts and brewing methods on this one. On most days, I'd still rather drink a Natural Ethiopia, but I wouldn't turn down a mug of this.

US Arrival: October 2024