Espresso: Mexico Edilzar Ordoñez Black Honey

This Mexican coffee is brought to us by our friends from Osito. Stuart came into the shop one day, bringing us a sample of this coffee. We cupped it and ordered a bag on the spot. Black Honey is a process where pulped coffee is laid out to dry. The longer it dries the stickier it will get, hence the name Honey. It results in a sweeter coffee with notes of baking spices, cherry and molasses.

For years Edilzar worked in the United States to send money to his family, build a house and buy land to cultivate coffee next to his father's farm. Upon his return Edilzar takes care of his farm and ensures that the workers, with whom he labors shoulder to shoulder, have good working conditions. His time in the U.S., where he specialized in tree pruning to maintain power lines, allowed him to financially support the construction of a new home for his family in a nearby village. Additionally, he invested in land adjacent to his father’s farm to cultivate coffee.

During the harvest season, Edilzar actively participates in harvesting and processing alongside hired workers. His wife takes care of providing meals to the harvesters. To attract and retain workers, who are becoming increasingly scarce, the Ordoñez family has improved working conditions, offering accommodation, fair wages, and additional supplies.

As part of a cooperative of ten producers, the Ordoñez family collectively owns a roasting machine and a huller, providing milling and roasting services to the community. This cooperative structure facilitates the processing of large volumes of coffee for both the family and smaller producers. However, recent gang violence in the region has posed new challenges. With two rival gangs disputing control of the border with Guatemala, the family acknowledges concerns about the security situation.

Upon his return Edilzar took on the responsibility of coffee processing, replacing his father who was recovering from the effects of COVID-19. Edilzar initiated a shift in focus and began experimenting with alternative processing methods. The change is evident in the quality of Edilzar’s washed coffees.

For this lot, he has chosen the "black honey" process, the most challenging among the semi-washed methods. This means that the cherries are depulped when harvested, but the mucilage is left on and dried with it.

There are different types of honey, and in the "black honey" process (a complex and continuously monitored procedure), the mucilage is left until it acquires a dark color.