Guatemala Palencia Region - El Socorro Estate Maracaturra Flavors and COE Awards

Guatemala Palencia Region - Finca El Socorro's Maracaturra Flavor and COE Awards

The owner of Finca El Socorro, Diego De La Cerda, nicknamed "Silver Fox," claims to produce the world's best coffee. His award record is astonishingly long, including two Cup of Excellence championships and one COTY award. If it weren't for the Finca El Injerto winning the championship in 2012, he would have secured his third Cup of Excellence title.

Diego De La Cerda operates two farms in Guatemala: El Socorro and Guayaba. El Socorro farm is located in Palencia, Guatemala province, 50 kilometers from Guatemala City. In 1980, the farm owner Juan de la Cerda Colom began growing coffee, and he and his son Juan Diego are now responsible for production, representing the fourth generation of the family. El Socorro's pursuit of quality is evident in every detail, from cultivation and harvesting to post-processing.

Both of El Socorro's Guatemala Cup of Excellence championship-winning varieties were Maracaturra, a hybrid of Caturra and Maragogype. The beans are nearly as large as Maragogype beans, with flavors as special and outstanding as Geisha and Pacamara. In recent years, El Socorro expanded its farm area and began planting other varieties, including Pacamara. In addition to these two large-bean varieties, El Socorro also cultivates Bourbon, Caturra, and Typica.

However, the farm's ability to produce high-quality coffee depends not on special varieties but on meticulous attention to cultivation and processing methods. For example, most high-altitude farms use readily available natural mountain spring water for washed processing. However, fresh coffee cherries processed in cold spring water inevitably have longer fermentation times. El Socorro's cultivation area is at approximately 1,700 meters altitude, with the washing station at 1,400 meters. To address this issue, the farm uses heated water to process green coffee beans, thereby shortening fermentation time (36 to 40 hours) and preserving stronger fruit and floral aromas. This is a unique technique developed by El Socorro. During drying, even a small amount of rain can ruin the entire process, so the parchment coffee is covered at night. Drying takes approximately 12-16 days.

The farm is Rainforest Alliance certified and places great emphasis on ecological protection. The total area is 700 hectares, with the majority (55%) being a natural conservation area - the largest protected area nearby, attracting many wild animals and migratory birds. The most numerous tree species in the conservation area are pines and oaks, and wildlife and birds have been carefully surveyed and recorded. Only 25% of the farm (approximately 126 hectares) is used for coffee cultivation, while another 40% is used for other activities, including growing corn, vegetables, and raising dairy cattle.

El Socorro participates in the Cup of Excellence almost every year, regardless of ranking, with their most proud variety being Maracaturra. The farm not only frequently wins awards but also achieves impressive scores. In 2007, they won first place with 93.6 points, in 2011 their championship score was 91.53, and in 2013, despite finishing third, they still scored an impressive 90.19. El Socorro's coffee often features dense floral aromas, sweet and sour notes of lemon and citrus, vibrant acidity, and a long-lasting aftertaste.

Farm Information

Region: Palencia
Farm: Finca El Socorro y Anexos
Owner: Diego De La Cerda
Area: 700 hectares; Coffee cultivation area: 126 hectares
Variety: Maracaturra
Altitude: 1,400-1,950 meters
Average Temperature: 22°C
Annual Rainfall: 1,500mm
Relative Humidity: 70%
Processing Method: Washed, sun-dried
Harvest Period: January to April
Flavor Profile: Blueberry, jasmine, milk chocolate

Brewing Recommendations

Filter: Hario V60
Water Temperature: 88-89°C
Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 4
Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops halfway before continuing the pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring helps extend the extraction time, allowing better extraction of the nutty and chocolate notes in the finish.

Flavor: Multi-layered, overall clean, relatively light body, persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste, with a hint of bitterness.

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