La Chumeca Micromill, owned and operated by Martín Ureña, is part of a family legacy of coffee production. Martín, along with his two brothers, has been immersed in coffee growing his entire life. His brother Edgar, who operates the neighbouring El Pilon Micromill, works closely with Martín to maintain the highest quality in their coffee.
Together, they’ve devised a simple, effective, and cost-efficient method to ensure their Naturals are made from only the ripest cherries. They’ve rigged two large blue tanks with piping and fresh water, enabling a quick and thorough float sort. This setup also uses gravity and water flow to separate damaged and defective beans, significantly improving the quality of their Naturals since they began producing them in the early 2010s.
La Chumeca itself is an idyllic place, where Martín takes great pride in both the stunning views and the exceptional coffee produced. The micromill boasts 50 drying beds, with more added each year. Since 2018, Martín has also been experimenting with anaerobic-environment fermentation. For certain lots, he places freshly harvested cherries into sealed distillery tanks, specially ordered from Korea. This oxygen-free environment slows down the fermentation process, maintaining a lower temperature in the coffee bed and allowing for the development of unique flavours.
This information and the accompanying images were kindly provided by our incredible import partners, Cafe Imports. We thank them for helping us share Martín Ureña's story.
