Guatemala San Marcos Finca Transito Bolivar

Sourcing details.

Making new discoveries in well-traveled coffee regions like Huehuetenango is not easy to do. But good supply partners like San Miguel Coffee, a Guatemalan export company, are always on the lookout for new talent. And finding coffee from Finca Transito Bolivar is extra special in our eyes because the 860 acre estate is owned and managed by a woman named Stephanie Bauer. In 2014, she took over the estate that her grandfather first established in 1942. While Stephanie is a third generation coffee farmer, she had to quickly transition from her career as a teacher to learn to run the large estate, which employs over 250 people during the harvest. With the help of the Women in Coffee Guatemala chapter and export partner San Miguel Coffee, Stephanie is making all the right moves.

Processing Details

In particular, Stephanie is focused on precise processing at the estate’s mill, where cherries meticulously selected based on ripeness are depulped, fermented, washed, and dried gently with a combination of patios and raised beds before sending the dried parchment to San Miguel. In addition to critical feedback on cup quality, San Miguel also provides crucial logistical support for things like warehousing and milling coffee for export to the international market.