The Ámbar process, a signature process of Don Sergio Ortez, is one that we have enjoyed harvest after harvest. While each lot is truly a unique gem, they follow an important and poignant thread of Sergio’s vision for his coffees. The Pacamará variety is one that he works with, despite the difficulties, and has in some ways become a pillar of his production - its profile as dynamic as his processes. A few moons ago, Sergio discovered a few yellow-ripening Pacamará mutations on the farm. The occurrence is rare, but not unheard of, and comes as no surprise to those who care to chase this variety. It is notoriously diverse and generationally unstable. Which is to say, it changes hard and fast as it gets replanted. In any event, Sergio thought to begin propagating those plants - and what we have here is the first harvest of the yellow Pacamará from El Porvenir. We like to think that certain coffees - and really the plantings - like to show off a little when we first get to taste them and give us a nice spectacle as introduction. The Yellow Pacamará is a subtle if assertive coffee in the line of the Pacamarás we have loved. Delicate, aromatic, and filigreed with an exceptional detail and depth that we don’t always get to dwell in. Please savor and enjoy - this glimpse into the planting is only 30 kilos of green coffee, or about 60lbs after roasting.
Sergio is one of the most passionate and energetic producers we have ever had the pleasure of working with at Café Integral. He has an insatiable curiosity and an almost uncomfortable need to push himself and his coffees past their limits in search of another breakthrough cup. He is the perfect example of the emergence of growers as “vignerons.” The coffees produced at his three farms often taste more of his personal signature than they do any other attribute - not region, varietal, or altitude for example. To some extent, Sergio adds layers to the coffee’s terroir that make for his unique expression of place. He is known to have one of the most ingenious wet mills, a “frankenmill” that he has tweaked and perfected to yield seven unique quality grades of coffee cherry once sorted. Finally, his coffees complete their cycle close to home - his front yard to be exact - where he has moved his drying beds and keeps a small warehouse and laboratory to track and evaluate the coffees as they progress.
Sergio is one of the earliest to experiment with extended and alternative methods of fermentation with his coffees. This particular method, which Sergio has coined “ámbar process,” has been evolving over the past harvests.
The Pacamará from El Porvenir benefits from the dryer and sunnier exposure of the San Fernando region. The soil has a rich top layer of organic matter - yet provides excellent drainage - and the cooler evening temperatures help preserve the soil’s moisture and creates a slower ripening phase. This harvest, the coffee was picked ripe and sorted. Within six hours, it was transferred to sealed drums fitted with one-way air valves that allowed the CO2 produced through the fermentation process to fill the chamber and eventually escape at a gradual rate over the course of five days. The coffee is never disturbed or agitated and is then set out to dry under shaded beds for 30 days to achieve a gradual cure. The result is a transformed coffee - the fragrance emits a strong note of roasted cacao and sweet balsamic vinegar. The cup quality is equally powerful with notes of elderflower, passion fruit, and sour cherries.
