Alamor

Alamor

Puyango Chaguarpamaba

Story

Surrounded by the highlands of the canton of Puyango in the province of Loja, there is a very small town called Alamor. The coffee culture in this region and the surrounding mountains has been present for more than a century. Coffee has always been one of the main agricultural and economic activities here, along with corn, bananas, rice, sugar cane, and other citrus fruits. Many experts and historians have explored this region and collected testimonials and stories from generations past, noting that Puyango has great historical and cultural richness. Of course, coffee is a significant part of both the history and present of this region and its people.

Nearby Alamor, you can find one of the main tourist attractions in the region: the Puyango Petrified Forest. This fossil deposit of petrified wood dates back to the Cretaceous period.

In the highlands of Alamor, we were privileged to find a group of approximately 150 small-scale producers. This coffee is grown by producers with a long tradition in coffee cultivation, meaning they grow traditional varietals that are favorable for the production of specialty coffee. The average age of these producers is around 60 years. However, most of them are starting to introduce the business to their children to continue the tradition and pass it to future generations. This new generation is eager to continue improving the quality of their product

Contributing Producers

Puyango is a canton in Loja where our involvement began in 2020. Before our entry, the local coffee producers had no market access and relied solely on intermediaries who offered low prices.

At that time, the coffee qualities were RTB with a significant presence of broca and minimal processing. Fermentation periods were typically between 12-16 hours, with varietals such as Acawá and Castillo.

Within a year, the fermentation periods increased to around 32 hours, resulting in more complex coffees largely dependent on the cultivation methods. Producers have since implemented drying marquesinas and African beds, extending the drying time from approximately 6 days to around 14-15 days.

Nowadays, natural and honey processing methods have also begun to be implemented.

producer-picture

Coffee Process

The producers of Alamor begin their coffee processing by manually selecting only the ripe cherries. They employ local individuals who have been trained to easily identify the cherries that are ready for picking. The harvested cherries are then taken to the on-farm wet mill where they are pulped. Subsequently, the coffee undergoes fermentation in closed and airtight containers. In some cases, water is used during fermentation, while in others, no water is added. The fermentation period ranges from 24 to 100  hours, depending on the specific circumstances. Some producers monitor the pH of the fermentation mass and remove it when it reaches a range of 4.1 to 3.8.

The next step involves washing the coffee two to three times before transferring it to the drying area, where it takes approximately 15 to 30 days to reach the desired humidity level. Once the coffee is dried, the final parchment coffee is occasionally stored on the farm for around one week. Subsequently, the grower transports the coffee to the purchasing station in Quito, where it undergoes analysis by a Quality Analyst to assess its quality. Initially, a representative sample is subjected to a thorough physical analysis, which measures the moisture level, water activity, and identifies any physical defects. Following the physical analysis, the coffee undergoes a sensory evaluation to determine its quality grade. Finally, the parchment coffee is processed at Caravela's mill in Quito, which is located at the same site as the purchasing station, before being shipped to the port.

Location

  • Country

    Ecuador

  • flag

    Department

    Loja

  • Municipality

    Puyango Chaguarpamaba

  • Elevation

    900 - 1450

Varieties

  • Varieties

    Typica, Catuaí and castillo

Technical information

  • Processing

    Washed

  • Average farm size

    2 Ha

  • Harvest

    August - December

  • Drying method

    Fully sun dried in patios

  • Shade

    Plantain, cytrics, and Guaba

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