- Pay their staff 30% more than what is typical minimum wage
- Provide free housing for 60 families on their farms
- Provide free electricity and running water for their homes
- Provide free food for all workers Have free day care facilities for families to use
- Provide free health care facilities on the farms
- Employ on-site teachers who educate their staff and teach other skills such as pottery and weaving. The goal is to help staff diversify their skills. The teachers are also paid twice the wages they would receive in the cities.
Natural Coffee Processing at Don Esteban Dry Mill
At the heart of the Mierisch family's operations lies the Don Esteban dry mill, a facility renowned for its meticulous approach to coffee processing.
The natural process begins with selection of only the ripest coffee cherries where they’re floated in water to remove any that are underdeveloped or defective. Once this sortation process is complete, the cherries are transported, typically within 45 minutes to an hour, to the Don Esteban mill for drying.
Upon arrival, the cherries are spread out in thin layers on plastic tarps or thick mats that allow airflow beneath them. This setup is crucial for preventing mould and ensuring even drying. The initial phase of drying takes place under full sunlight for about four days, which helps quickly reduce moisture content and minimise the risk of over-fermentation.
After this sun-drying phase, the cherries are moved to raised beds under 75% shade for an extended drying period - typically 26 to 28 days, depending on the lot.
Once dried to around 12% humidity, the cherries are stored in a warehouse for one month to allow moisture to homogenise across the lot. After hulling, the green beans are rested again for another month before export. This resting period helps mellow any harsher notes and enhances flavour balance.
The mill avoids using concrete drying patios for drying. Instead, they use black polymeric nets in their raised bed underneath the parchment to ensure even drying and avoid contamination - another example of the Mierisch family's commitment to quality and innovation.
Like a slice of apple spice cake, this is full of juicy raisins and sultanas, with a sweetness of brown sugar wrapping it up. The aftertaste is full of red apple and bruised plum.
Farm Information
- Country: Nicaragua
- Municipality: Yasica Norte
- Region: Matagalpa
- Farm name: Limoncillo
- Producers: The Mierisch Family
- Farm size: 171 hectares
- Coffee growing area: 109 hectares
- Elevation: 1,200 m.a.s.l.
- Varietal: Bourbon
- Processing system: Natural