Tzikin - Guatemala

Dark chocolate, Almond, lemon, Maple Syrup

SCA Score: 84.5

PROCESSING: Washed
VARIETAL: Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Pache
ALTITUDE: 1.500 to 2.000 meters
REGION: Huehuetenango

THE STORY OF THE TZIKIN COFFEE

In Mayan culture, the Tz’ikin is a nahual (spirit animal) and the Keeper of Mayan lands. Inspired by this, the farmers contribute with a portion of the profit from every bag sold, to a 35-day school program and enables kids from 3-12 to continue learning, while their parents work, daily, in Harvest season activities. About 75% of Huehuetenango’s population is indigenous. T’zikin is sourced from smallholders in a micro-region around La Libertad, Chuchamontes mountain range and Pedro Necta municipailities, in the Huehuetenango region.

Cherries are hand-picked and pulped on their farms, usually with hand-powered or electric drum pulpers. Farmers tipically lay parchment paper on raised beds, stack on top of each other to maximize space. Pátios are also frequently used. After fermenting, parchment is agitated to remove remaining mucilage and washed with clean water, which is filtered, usually through earthen holes, so that the organic solids don’t contaminate local waterways.