where
Vereda Tierra Del Castro, Moniquira, Boyaca
Set upon a ridge of the Eastern Andes mountains, outside the town of Moniquira, Boyaca, is Finca El Recreo.
The farm is three organic hectares, separated into two lots, both of which produce some phenomenal coffees.
Their land has an abundance of both shade trees and sun exposure, creating ideal growing conditions and an environment very well adapted to drying natural and honey processed coffees.
who
Doña Mercedes & Don Elio
Both are third-generation coffee growers and have been producing coffee almost their entire lives. The connection they share with the farm is tangible. The care and attention to detail is innate and the coffees really show it.
Valentina Torres and their son, Ronaldo Hurtado, make up Disruptiva Coffees, a multi-faceted project that has been busy implementing daring fermentation and processing protocols on the family farm.
This intergenerational collaboration is only about two years old, and has already resulted in some truly unique coffees and a different approach altogether
what
Coffee
El Recreo has spent years producing solely washed coffees, mixing all varieties together to sell higher volume to the local co-op.
Ronaldo and Valentina have been working on the farm level for two harvests now. They began floating the coffee cherry to separate underripe or defective fruit, and made raised beds to use in combination with the elda (rooftop drying patio) to improve the drying phase.
They now offer both Catuai and Castillo varieties (with more on the way) as natural, honey, and washed micro-lots. Many lots see additional fermentations in grainpro bags, sealed in black plastic bags.
Ferment times can reach up to 16 days, and when combined with a relatively short drying time in the heavy sun, the cup buzzes with a type of sweetness and acidity unique to their farm. The sun is actually so strong that it creates the risk of washed coffees drying too quickly (2/3 days). In producing plenty of natural and honeys, drying times are extended, and the shelf-life of the green coffee improved.
why
El Recreo x Disruptiva x LULO
Ronaldo and Valentina are longstanding baristas in the Bogota coffee scene, and have been a huge influence on LULO's roasting style. Their modern approach, intentionality and super chill attitudes are a constant inspiration to me ever since having met them in a coffee shop in Bogota in 2018.
When I first went to Rony's family farm in 2022, I could see where they get their passion from! Rony's parents have both care and curiosity ingrained in them and it's been a pleasure to be working with them since the early days of LULO.
