Posada Coffee

On our property we grow about twelve hundred pounds of shade grown, high altitude, organic coffee annually. The tall bushes are covered with orange-scented, white blossoms after the first rains in late April, and are loaded with red berries by November. Of course everyone thinks that anything they grow tastes better, but in fact there are some differences in our coffee that might explain its exceptional appeal. Firs t, the high altitude, avocado shaded volcanic earth of Atitlan has always been a prized growing place for rich, full-flavored coffee. Second, our coffee trees are frequen tly supplemented with ample organic composted fertilizer. Perhaps most important, the coffee pickers are paid by the day rather than by the bag, so they have no incentive to pick anything but ripe, red berries.

The harvest is normally from November until February. If it interests you, ask and you can observe or lend a hand to our low tech process of picking, pulping, fermenting, sun drying, raking, husking, and roasting over a wood fire in a hand-cranked tumbler (don't worry- you're welcome to participate just long enough for a photo).The coffee is ground and brewed in the restaurant. We serve brewed coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, and a Cafe Finquero (cappuccino with rum and cardamon). We reluctantly stock decaf that is imported from Oklahoma. We sell bags of whole bean coffee by the pound (presently $6.00).

When our crop has been consumed we roast and serve beans from a local co-operative of organic coffee producers. It is also exceptional.