Process: Anaerobic Natural 
Notes: Lime, Kiwi, Mango 

Meet Arnaldo. This beautiful Anaerobic Natural is a testament to the hard work of dedicated producers like him, brought to life through meticulous, centralised processing at the Ayarza cherry mill in Santa Rosa, Guatemala.

The region surrounding Ayarza is a special one, its landscape is dramatically defined by the Laguna de Ayarza and Laguna Azul. This striking, cold blue body of water was formed when two massive, ancient volcanoes collapsed, creating a large, deep crater. It's a place where the geography tells a powerful story. Naturally, a spot this unique is steeped in local folklore. Legends around this lake are numerous, and the water is so deep the bottom has never been fully mapped—adding to its natural mystique. 

Rather than relying on the traditional, small-scale farmer processing that often leads to unpredictable quality, the team in Ayarza has centralised the magic. They source cherry from numerous farmers in the region and handling the fermentation themselves to lock in the clean, complex flavours of this micro-lot.

Blue Ayarza is processed via 120-hour (five-day) cherry fermentation in strictly anaerobic conditions. Cherries from high-altitude farms are carefully-picked, then moved into recycled hermetic bag liners, which are placed inside a second polypropylene bag. This clever layering protects the cherries while allowing the essential carbon dioxide (CO2) to vent, ensuring no oxygen can sneak in to interfere with the clean, complex fermentation process.

Once the fermentation hits its sweet spot, the cherries are immediately spread in a very thin layer on the patio. This is a crucial step to halt the process and kickstart the drying phase. After about ten days of sun drying, which gets the moisture down to 22%, the process is finished in a mechanical dryer, bringing the lot down to the perfect 11.5%. It’s a calculated, meticulous effort designed to lock in the absolute best expression of this coffee.