Nicaragua La Andria Estate Natural Maracaturra Classic Nicaraguan Flavor

Nicaragua Finca La Andria Maracaturra Natural Process

Coffee Details

Grade: SHG

Region: Monzonte, Nueva Segovia

Estate: Finca La Andria

Varieties: Catuai, Caturra, Pache

Processing Method: Natural Process

Roast Level: Medium

Altitude: 1,400 meters

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Notes: Citrus, brown sugar, banana, floral notes

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing Parameters: 15g coffee; medium-fine grind (BG 5T: 58% retention on China standard #20 sieve); water temperature 90°C; coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Bloom with 28g of water for 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion from the center to 122g for the first infusion. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, use a slightly larger water stream to pour in a circular motion to 230g for the second infusion. Remove the filter cone when the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed. (Timing starts from the bloom.) Total extraction time: 1'56".

About Maracaturra

Maracaturra is a hybrid variety, a cross between Maragogype and Caturra, and it is very common in Nicaragua.

What Makes Maracaturra Special?

Like Maragogype, Maracaturra coffee beans are very large. Mauricio told me that it inherits the excellent flavor and high yield of Caturra. Its short stature is balanced by abundant leaves, which shield it against strong winds - especially useful on Mauricio's estate, where high winds are common.

Unfortunately, this variety is highly susceptible to leaf rust disease, so it demands extensive care. Its flavor profile features tropical fruits and bright acidity. It placed 5th in the 2015 Cup of Excellence, and Mauricio believes its future harvests will surpass those of Pacamara. Mauricio plans to use semi-washed, honey, and natural processing methods for his Maracaturra coffee cherries, which will let him determine the best processing method. He uses African beds, which ensure stable air circulation and therefore a more even drying process.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Natural processing is what gives this Nicaraguan Maracaturra its fruit-forward sweetness, and it is the same thread that runs through FrontStreet Coffee's natural lineup. FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry, for example, is made from fully ripe, all-red cherries dried on raised beds, and after a light-medium roast it shows elegant floral lift, bright acidity, and a distinctly tropical, sweet, fermented fruit character. FrontStreet's flagship Huakui is another natural, and it brings an even riper profile: strawberry, passion fruit, mango, honeyed sweetness, a touch of cocoa and spice, and a full, lingering body.

For drinkers who want to see how far natural processing can go, FrontStreet Coffee also roasts a Colombia Sidra using a double anaerobic natural method, which layers in passion fruit, apricot, dried fruit, grape, and almond notes. Each of these beans is roasted fresh and works beautifully in a pour-over, making them an easy way to compare how different origins express the natural process.