New Release | Honduras Erin Moreno
This washed-process micro-lot from the Santa Barbara region of Honduras tastes like white sugar sprinkled on fresh grapefruit, crisp green apple, agave, shortbread, and sweet citrus.
Dating back to 2017, OZO Coffee has been purchasing a washed micro-lot from producer Erin Jesus Moreno Reyes. Located in the El Cedral village of the Santa Barbara region in Honduras, Erin Moreno produces coffee on 2 hectares of land named Finca El Pito. Found around the highlands of Lake Yojoa, the area is unique to an unusual growing condition that causes a very extended cherry maturation period. Cools mists keep temperatures low and protect plants from harsh heat. This slow development directly impacts the flavor of the coffee, causing it to be sweet and complex. It also means harvest can happen much later than other regions in Central America; it isn’t unusual to have this coffee land stateside in January!
Erin Moreno, like many who work in coffee, is from a family of coffee producers. His father was actually one of the very first producers in the Santa Barbara region. When Erin was young, he would drive the coffee and coffee workers to and from his father’s farm. At the age of 17, Erin was gifted half a hectare from his dad so he could learn and practice tending the coffee plants. At age 28 he bought his very own land, where he still grows coffee and farms vegetables. After briefly falling out of love with coffee 4 years ago, his brother Evin, and dry mill manager Benjamin Paz, persuaded Erin back into coffee. They saw the great (and continued) potential that Erin’s coffee had to be sold as a beautiful micro-lot. Erin Moreno is always looking for ways to improve his farming and wet mill processing. Long-term, connection-based
relationships with green buyers is very important to him, which is why OZO has consistently supported Erin over the past six years.
As for farming practices, Erin has worked to dial in his process year after year. The cherries are carefully hand-picked and put into plastic bags for 24 hours to begin a slight fermentation to add sweetness. Then, the cherries are de-pulped and the parchment is put into a concrete tank for an additional 16 hours. Afterwards, parchment is rinsed four times then put inside a parabolic solar dryer for 14 to 18 days. During the drying time the Moreno family hand sorts to remove defective beans.
OZO will be traveling to Honduras mid-February so look out for origin updates in March!