Zona Alta Coffee

As we sip from a steaming cup of coffee, the world awakens around us. The sun illuminates the verdant mountains that surround this fertile valley. Songbirds greet each other high in the canopies as the farmers step forth into the cool morning, ready for another day’s work. It is here that the connection between you and the people of Zona Alta Coffee is made. Our desire to produce an unforgettably rich and delicious coffee and your choice to support an equitable system of commerce make Zona Alta Coffee a reality. We invite you to discover and explore our unique coffee, to learn about our mission, and to get to know the Zona Alta.

The “Zona Alta” or “High Zone” is a mountainous area in northern El Salvador. Five municipalities are represented in this home to about 5,000 people. The altitude ranges from about 5200 feetin the valley up to El Pital the highest peak in the country at 8775 feet. Agriculture is the only source of employment and, apart from coffee; corn, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are the main crops.
The growing conditions in and around Los Planes are perfect for growing high quality coffee. The coffee trees thrive in the cool, mountain air and deep, black volcanic soils. Shade trees are grown above the high quality arabica trees to create the optimal conditions for coffee production. Those trees provide habitat for many species of birds, insects, and amphibians and protect the soil from erosion during the torrential downpours of the rainy season. 
      Once harvested the coffee fruit or “cherry” needs to be handled with care to prevent spoilage of the bean inside. There are two processes one, called the “wet” process involves washing the pulp off of the seed and allowing the seed to dry in the sun or in a dryer. The bulk of the coffee produced in the world today is processed using the wet process. The second or “dry” method is more delicate and requires greater care to avoid fermentation and spoilage. The whole coffee cherry is set out to dry in the sun. It is carefully turned several times a day to ensure even drying. As the fruit dries around the coffee bean, it forms a hard, black shell that must be removed mechanically. Processing the coffee in this way allows the bean to absorb the sweetness of the fruit, which results in a smoother, less acidic, and more complex cup of coffee.
     Zona Alta Coffee is traditionally made as the people from this region have prepared it for hundreds of years. From harvest to roast, painstaking care is taken to assure the quality of the cup. The coffee berry is picked at the peak of maturity and then sun-dried with the fruit still intact. This allows the seed to absorb the honey-sweetness of the fruit imparting a smooth mellowness to the coffee. This dry process of preparing coffee not only creates a unique and delicious coffee but also saves water in a part of the world that experiences a six-month dry season every year.

Our mission is to provide you with a unique, rich and delicious organic coffee that promotes well-being to the farmers that produce it and to those who drink it. Your interest in Zona Alta Coffee proves that you are concerned about the products you consume and how their production affects the people and the environment. By drinking this coffee you are directly supporting the community that produces it and creating healthier lifestyles for the farmers and their families, employment opportunities for women and an organic way of life.

(111) Zona Alta

El Salvador-____$9.95 /lbs

 

zonaaltacoffee.com