Added yeasts can dramatically affect the taste of coffee, and this all happens during the fermentation step. This step, which once was simply a means to remove the mucilage is now understood as key to flavour development. There are many microbes responsible for this and the types of naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria will have a huge impact on the taste of the coffee. If these yeasts and bacteria already exist and can be found everywhere, why would you add a different stain of yeast to the mix? In this episode we speak to Roberto Vazconez, from finca @lugmapata who uses added yeast strains to direct his fermentation, to obtain certain profile results. With the help of Camila Khalifé, Ecuadorian quality analyst and café owner, we interview Roberto about his fermentation experiments. Listen to learn more about what is going on in the fermentation tank when yeasts are added and a case study success story on how yeasts can be used with desirable results. 

Origin Compass

Why Add Yeast

In this episode we look at the traditional varieties that we most commonly work with at Caravela. The traditional varieties found all over Latin America can all be traced back to either Typica or Bourbon. That is to say that many of the traditional varieties that we see today are either mutations or hybrids of these two original varieties, but what does this really mean? To understand some of the terminology and to help us tell the story, we speak with research technician for World Coffee Research: Julio Alvarado.

Traditional Varieties in Latin America

In this episode we delve deeper into what makes a good roaster-producer working relationship. Stephen Leighton and Pedro Claros both share their side of the story, telling us what this relationship means for them and how they have arrived at this point.  Steven is the founder of Hasbean and has been working with producer Pedro (from Pitalito, Huila) since 2011 but their relationship was not always what it is today. Listen to find out how they have made such a success of working together. 

A take on Long-standing Relationships 2: Hasbean and Pedro Claros

For many roasters, visiting origin is just one important part of the job. However, it is currently a moment when not only is it impossible to travel, but to do so would indeed be irresponsible. This inability to visit the producers one works with has created much discussion regarding the importance of these trips.What are the potential ramifications of not being present at origin? Would the coffees you want become harder to get? Should producers worry that roasters not visiting them could cause a breakdown in their relationship, and that their coffee will no longer be bought? In this episode the Relationship Building team will talk about what we are missing out on and what we can do about this, even if we can only be at origin in spirit!

What Happens When Origin Travel Isn't An Option

The logistics of moving coffee is by nature a complicated process, so how is it now in the Covid era?At origin, just moving coffee from farms to warehouses to ports has become a matter of jumping hurdles, while moving coffee across oceans and then on to the final destination has other very specific difficulties.In this episode we speak to Grant Tennille, Caravela’s North American logistics coordinator. Grant offers an overview of the steps and pitfalls associated with exporting and importing green coffee, and then goes deeper into the challenges - real and potential -facing the movement of green coffee and logistics in general.

Invisible Barriers for Moving Coffee

&apos;Minga&apos; is a South American term which means "coming together for the common good", whether to finish a harvest or build a house. This spirit is what we are always striving to cultivate at Caravela: working with producers to help them improve over time, and helping roasters find better coffees, cultivating long-term relationships that will help us all thrive over time.Since the novel coronavirus drastically changed the world we live in, we have been encouraged and inspired to see a minga mentality emerge all over, from producing countries to roasteries and cafes around the globe. In this episode, Caravela&apos;s Relationship Building team discuss the impact of Covid-19 at origin, as well as hearing first hand about the amazing things that are happening in response.

Minga From Field To Filter: Coffee reacts and adapts to the Covid Era

In this episode of Origin Compass, we take a closer look at Peru as a coffee origin. Ana Sofia, Relationship Builder based in Guatemala chats with Peru’s Country Manager Miguel Sanchez, they both talk about their experiences working in coffee in Peru, the culture, the successes, and the challenges.Listen if you are interested in Peruvian coffees and want to know why with this origin has so much potential, that we will only start to see more of in the coming years.

Behind the scenes in Peruvian coffee

In this episode of Origin Compass we look at how a focus on agronomy impacts coffee producers. In producing countries we see agronomical assistance come in many forms. Who is offering the assistance and their motivation behind this will often dictate how useful it will be to producers.Starting off with an overview with regards to why agronomical help is essential at origin, we later focus in on the Caravela approach and why agronomy is so important for our model.Listen to all this plus an interview with our Peca Coordinator Hector Calderon as to what he feels are the important areas in terms of helping producers achieve goals and become sustainable farming businesses. 

Agronomy to keep the microlots coming

 Listen to the latest episode of Origin Compass. Here Salomé speaks with our new North American sales manager Rich Futrell about his initial Caravela origin experience. Reflecting upon his recent visits to Peru and Colombia, we also gain insight into what it's like to view the work we do from an outsider's perspective, as Rich notices aspects of our export operations that may seem unremarkable to the seasoned Caravela employee at origin. Listen to this interview to learn more about our work with producers and experience a bit of origin for yourself, wherever you are.

Origin Revelations

This episode of Origin Compass is a little different. At Caravela, it is of paramount importance that our customers know where their coffee comes from. But this is not only about location, name of farm and name of the producer, but it is also about the story behind each farm and everyone involved. For this reason, any time anyone buys a single farmer lot, we like to give all the credit to the farmer and tell their story. Although many of these stories seem similar and many producers come from traditional coffee-growing families, the motivations are always different. A couple of weeks ago we received a request to create a brochure regarding a coffee grower in Nicaragua. While we were reading the interview that was carried out by our PECA team, we decided we wanted to find a way and space for Edwin Duarte to tell his story himself in more detail. Edwin's life hasn't been an easy one, he went from having it all to having nothing and, in the end, his love for coffee helped him find himself where he is today.

All Roads Lead to Coffee

Entrevista completa en español con Ratibor Hartmann, usada en el Podcast "How Geisha ruined coffee". Ratibor habla sobre sus experiencias produciendo cafe y como ser exitoso con las variedades y procesos exóticas.

Entrevista con Ratibor Hartmann: Gesha, procesos y variedades exóticas

In this episode, we talk to Peter Ebdrup from The Coffee Collective and producer Jaime Andres Casallas, on how they forged their partnership. Both speak at length about what they have learned, their respective challenges, and ultimately what has led to the continued success of this enduring relationship. Listen to two stories describing very different worlds, and why each could not survive without the other.

A Take on Long-Standing Relationships

In this episode hear about how the exotic variety boom has not been all that positive for small-scale producers and why. Also listen to an abridged interview with Ratibor Hartmann regarding how he has made his success in the exotic variety game.

How Gesha Ruined Coffee

Listen to the original edited interviews in Spanish that were translated for the podcast “how SHE makes the difference at Origin”. These interviews were recorded in working locations, including warehouses, the Coffee Producer and Roaster forum in Guatemala City and in Caravela’s Bogotá cupping lab.Escucha las entrevistas originales y editadas en español que se tradujeron para el podcast “How SHE makes the difference at Origin”. Estas entrevistas se grabaron en espacios de trabajo, incluyendo bodegas, El Foro de Productores y Tostadores en la Ciudad de Guatemala y en el laboratorio de catación de Caravela en Bogotá.

Original edited interviews IN SPANISH for “How SHE makes the difference at Origin"

In this podcast, in a series of translated interviews, we showcase the stories of various hard working and successful women based at origin. Although working in the same industry they have all come from very different backgrounds and have had great success professionally and personally with coffee. Listen more to hear a snapshot of their lives and how they overcame various obstacles to arrive at where they are today.

How SHE Makes the Difference at Origin

Origin Compass Podcast by Caravela Coffee. Stories and accounts regarding all things origin.

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Origin Compass

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