Honduras Mogola Lot La Isabel - Supernatural

Mogola was the first farm the well-known producer Don Fabio Caballero purchased back in 1970, which was the same year he got married. The farm looks like a botanic garden, with many lines of trees to separate lots from the wind. Flowers grow to attract butterflies and act as landmarks for the workers when picking different lots. The area is very humid and cold, which helps maintain moisture in the soil, reduces stress on the plants often seen in hotter temperatures, and it also promotes slow maturation. With understanding like this, it is no wonder Don Fabio became one of Saša’s biggest mentors in specialty coffee production.

Don Fabio utilises his Guardiolas to mechanically dry the coffee in a consistent process, resultantly providing cleaner cups and a longer shelf life. We do not know many producers utilising this technology for drying coffee, as the sun and weather usually works favourably. But the work done by Don Fabio has proven beneficial, as he has placed highly in many Cup of Excellence competitions, with this farm landing in 4th place in 2004.

About Supernaturals
Our ‘Supernatural’ range encompasses a variety of experimental techniques, many of which have been learnt from our years of carbonic maceration trials. The method we use at Don Fabio’s farms is to pick ripe coffee cherries, then stack in thick piles on raised beds to increase temperature, which helps intensify sweetness and fruit quality. The beds are under shade to maintain better control over the drying process. During drying time, the cherries are also turned over every few hours to ensure that just the right amount of fermentation occurs within the fruit.

Around 3-5 days later, the piles are thinned out to assist the reduction in moisture
content during the day, before being stacked again and cocooned in plastic sheets to maintain warmer temperatures in the fruit for a few hours into the evening.

This process continues for 6-12 days before we revert to a more standard process for natural coffees: leaving the cherries spread out thinly to dry for 12-15 days.

Through these extensive processes, we are better able to create unique flavour experiences and enhance different qualities in different lots, along with a few additional crazy and experimental ideas that we like to test from time to time.

Processing Details: 
o Hand sorting of ripe, red cherries at 20-22 brix
o Shade-dried in thick piles and regularly turned over to control fermentation for 3-5 days
o Thinned out during the day and piled up in plastic sheets at night for 6-12 days
o Thin layering of cherries on beds with frequent moving for 15-25 days
o Moisture content reduced to 10-12%
o Dried beans are then stored in the dried cherry pod for protection and to maximise sugar
and fruit flavour absorption until milling and export preparation