La Tortuga

In Galápagos, coffee producers begin by manually selecting ripe cherries, often hiring local workers trained to identify cherries ready for picking. After harvesting, the cherries are taken to the on-farm wet mill, where they undergo pulping, typically with minimal or no water. Following pulping, the coffee is fermented, with producers using traditional tanks or, more recently, airtight containers. The fermentation process varies between 14 to 18 hours, depending on the farm’s practices and weather conditions. Some producers use water in the process, while others omit it.

After fermentation, the coffee is washed two to three times before moving to the drying phase. The coffee is initially dried in shaded areas to remove excess moisture, followed by drying in covered facilities. This process can take 15 to 30 days, depending on farm characteristics and weather conditions. Once the coffee reaches the desired humidity level, it is prepared for final analysis.

At Caravela, we transport a mobile lab to the Galápagos, where a thorough physical analysis is performed on a representative sample, measuring moisture content, water activity, and identifying any physical defects. Afterward, the coffee undergoes a sensory evaluation to determine its quality grade. Finally, the coffee is airlifted to mainland Ecuador, where the parchment coffee is processed at Caravela's mill in Quito before being prepared for shipment to the port.