The Hacienda La Florida Journal
Stories, insights, and expertise from our coffee estate in southern Ecuador
Hacienda La Florida: Specialty Coffee of Ecuador
Agronomist brothers who transformed a century-old hacienda in Loja, Ecuador, into one of the most recognized specialty coffee producers in the world. Awards, varietals, processes and the story behind each cup.
The Dry Forest: Ecuador's Hidden Coffee Paradise
Discover how the Tumbesian Dry Forest of southern Ecuador — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the world's most endangered ecosystems — produces some of the most distinctive specialty coffees on Earth.
Sidra Coffee: The Story Behind Ecuador's Floral Specialty Coffee Star
Discover the true origin of the Sidra coffee variety, its genetic history, the Dry Forest terroir of Loja, and how this world-class specialty coffee is produced.
Typica Mejorado: Ecuador's Signature Specialty Coffee Variety
Discover the genetic origin of Typica Mejorado, its cup profile compared to Gesha, its agronomic performance in Sozoranga, and its award-winning history.
Catucai Coffee: The Hybrid Behind a World Championship Win
Catucai — the Icatú-Catuai hybrid that powered Matt Winton's 2021 World Brewers Cup victory. Discover the resilient variety with an incredible story.
Washed Processing: The Pursuit of Coffee Clarity
How washed processing — removing all fruit mucilage before drying — produces the clearest expression of a coffee's origin, variety, and terroir. Hacienda La Florida's approach to bright, clean specialty coffee.
Honey Processing: Perfect Balance of Sweetness and Clarity
Honey processing leaves a precise amount of fruit mucilage on the bean during drying. Explore the spectrum of White, Yellow, and Red Honey at Hacienda La Florida.
Natural Processing: The Art of Sweetness and Body
In natural processing, the coffee cherry is dried whole, allowing the bean to absorb intense fruit sugars. Learn how Hacienda La Florida manages this delicate method for maximum flavor.
Anaerobic Fermentation: Precision Flavor Development
How sealed-tank, oxygen-free fermentation creates intensely complex flavor profiles. Hacienda La Florida's scientific approach to anaerobic, carbonic maceration, cold fermentation, and yeast inoculation.
Carbonic Maceration: The Science Behind Our Winning Process
How controlled CO₂ fermentation creates the wine-like complexity that made our coffees famous in the specialty coffee world.
The Science of Drying: Why It Makes or Breaks Your Coffee
Drying is the most critical post-fermentation step in specialty coffee. Discover how Hacienda La Florida's raised beds, dark room, and climate-controlled warehouse preserve quality from cherry to export.
How Altitude Shapes Coffee Flavor: The High-Grown Edge
Altitude is one of the strongest predictors of coffee quality. Learn how Hacienda La Florida's high-elevation estate in Loja, Ecuador produces denser beans with more complex flavor profiles.
Pushing Limits: Yeast Inoculation & Isobaric Fermentation
Explore Hacienda La Florida's experimental coffee processing: collaborating with Taiwan's Tri-Up Coffee on yeast inoculation inside isobaric wine tanks.
The Science of Taste: Q Graders and Quality Control
Discover the importance of sensory evaluation in specialty coffee and how having two SCA-certified Q Graders, Fabricio and Ramiro Coronel, guarantees the excellence of Hacienda La Florida.
Kaweh Coffee Shop: From Our Farm to Your Cup in Loja
Experience the award-winning coffees of Hacienda La Florida at Kaweh Coffee Shop, our specialty coffee shop managed by Ramiro Coronel and his wife in the heart of Loja.
Manual Selection: Women in Specialty Coffee
Discover why the human touch is irreplaceable in specialty coffee and the vital role that women sorters play in ensuring the zero-defect quality of Hacienda La Florida.
The Art of Dry Milling: Precision in Coffee Processing
Discover the meticulous steps of dry milling at Hacienda La Florida, from hulling to optical sorting and vacuum packaging, ensuring zero-defect specialty coffee.
Ecuador Green Coffee: A Buyer's Guide to Sourcing
How to buy Ecuador green coffee directly from origin. Varieties, processing, harvest seasons, sample requests, export logistics, and why Hacienda La Florida is your ideal sourcing partner.
Direct Trade: Transparency from Farm to Cup
How direct trade coffee works — roasters buying directly from producers, without middlemen. The transparent export model of Hacienda La Florida through Cafesure.