2026 Peak Sub Q1
To kick off the new year we have the return of an old friend. La Negrita was one of the earlier lots of more ‘premium’ coffee that Hatch bought back in 2017 from producer Mauricio Shattah. About 2 years ago Boris was cupping in Busan and came across some coffee from La Negrita again which inspired us to reach out again to reconnect. He found some beautiful coffees and we’re excited to share them with you in this subscription.
To pair with, we have an auction lot from a stalwart of competition coffees: award-winning producer, Cafe Granja La Esperanza (CGLE). Many barista champions have won using their coffees to compete. Run by the Herrera Family, they have an experimental focus on cultivating special varieties of coffees (such as Laurina, Sidra and Mokka) for the unique growing conditions in Colombia. This lot of geisha comes from the renowned farm Cerro Azul.
La Negrita - Wush Wush Nitrogen Flushed Anaerobic Natural
Finca La Negrita is situated on the volcanic slopes of the Nevado del Tolima volcano in Tolima, Colombia. The farm occupies a unique V-shaped valley that creates a highly specific microclimate where the coffee trees only receive about 7h of direct sunlight each day. The rest of the time they are bathed in a cooling mist. This natural shade-grown environment slows the maturation of the coffee cherries, allowing for an exceptional accumulation of sugars and complex organic acids.
After harvesting only the ripe cherries, the fruit is placed into sealed stainless-steel tanks. Nitrogen is introduced twice during the anaerobic fermentation phase to prevent harsh or "boozy" sourness that can be found in traditional naturals. By flushing the tanks, Mauricio maintains a clean, stable environment that preserves the delicate aromatic compounds of the Wush Wush.
Origin: Tolima, Colombia
CGLE Cerro Azul - Geisha Natural “Patascoy Hill”
Cherries are placed in a reactor where the temperature was controlled below 14°C and the pH above 4.2, allowing for a 288-hour fermentation. The mass was drained and taken to a mechanical dehydrator. The coffee was spread in layers no more than 12 cm thick. After dehydrating, it was moved to a drying area in 10 cm layers, where it was constantly mixed and monitored to ensure there was no compaction, clumping, or areas with uneven temperatures.
Origin: Valle del Cauca, Colombia