Matagalpa

Coffee Centre of Specialty Coffee: The Interview

October 24, 2018

Brian Clark interviews Alex and Carla about Esquina de los Cafés, a specialty-coffee project in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Their aim is to make high-quality coffee available in the country where it is grown while celebrating Nicaragua as coffee country.

Direct trade and local value

The project works directly with growers around Aranjuez, between Matagalpa and Jinotega near the Cerro Datanlí–El Diablo Natural Reserve. Coffee fruit is purchased according to quality standards, helping retain more of the supply chain and its economic value at origin.

Originality, data and control

Esquina de los Cafés describes originality, process data and quality control as the foundations of its coffee and chocolate work. Its approach explores distinctive products while monitoring production, consistency and the resulting sensory experience.

Better coffee through education

The interview presents coffee roasting and preparation as both craft and education. Farm visits, milling tours, roasting classes and guided cuppings help participants understand how cultivation, processing and roasting shape flavor.

Coffee “Blumen,” Honey Process

September 18, 2018

Coffee “Blumen” is presented as a single-origin coffee from Apante, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, produced from Arabica varieties including Catuai and Caturra.

How the honey process works

After the coffee fruit’s outer skin is removed, some sugar-rich mucilage remains around the parchment during drying. Sun drying changes and concentrates these sugars, influencing the character of the finished coffee. The term “honey” refers to the sticky mucilage and its appearance during processing; honey is not added to the beans.

The archive describes three broad processing categories:

1. Washed coffee
2. Semi-washed or honey-process coffee
3. Unwashed or natural-process coffee