In the natural process, the coffee cherry is dried by the sun to separate the seed from the surrounding pulp. With natural processing, the fruit, nutrients, and sugars of the pulp migrate into the seed, joining the nutrients and sugars already in the seed, during the drying process.
The method of “washing” green coffee to separate seed from pulp is thought of, in some circles, as providing a more balanced and cleaner cup, whereas the natural process provides unique flavor characteristics. Washing stabilizes the bean very quickly and is often used to ensure a solid crop.
Honey processed coffee (also know as the pulped-natural process in Brazil.) is a method where the skin of the fruit is removed but the mucilage -the sticky, fleshy part surrounding the seed- remains attached to the seed while it is dried.
The wet hulled process is typically used in regions where high humidity prevents normal sorting methods. Similar to washed coffee in method, wet hulled is different in that the parchment of the seed is removed while it is still wet.
]]>Other important efforts include:
The Coffee Trust, founded by Coffee Exchange co-owner Bill Fishbein, is committed to working with these community members to change the paradigm, and help build opportunities beyond coffee – from textiles to bee cultivation. The Coffee Exchange supports The Coffee Trust because we understand the economic disparity that follows the coffee pipeline from seed to cup.
About Chajul, Guatemala:
Our goal for this 6 week fundraiser is to raise $10,000 enabling us to buy a coffee roaster and support the good work of The Coffee Trust. 100% of all contributions will go directly to The Coffee Trust in supporting this small farming community.
Ways you can contribute:
Donate Here online at thecoffeeexchange.com
Buy a T-Shirt
Buy a pound of Guatemalan coffee (25% goes to The Coffee Trust)
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Who: Maria Raymundo
What: Maria is a mother, grandmother and head of the household. Her husband went to the United States in January in order to earn money for the family. Both Maria and her husband were part of the Ixil community that went into hiding during the civil war and lived in the mountains for 8 years in order to survive. Maria still has a scar on her scalp caused by a grenade, thrown at her when she was 19. Currently, Maria manages all the household responsibilities including raising chickens, growing worms to feed the chickens and tending her family garden. She's a role model for her children and granddaughter who have watched as Maria incorporates the knowledge she's acquired through participating in our food sovereignty project toward the financial and physical health of her family.
Where: Chel, Guatemala
When: This past April, we watched as Maria's daughters pointed out that one of their chickens was ill. Together they administered organic effective microorganisms (EMs) to the chicken and by the next day the chicken was cured and eating again.
Why: Maria is our featured participant because her household food sovereignty project has been so successful and she has accomplished the following:
Below are photographs of Maria's family and the work she has accomplished.
Our team and participants take concrete steps everyday to reach their goals.
La Roya Recovery
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Food Sovereignty
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Without the financial help of all our supporters; women would not be able to feed eggs and fresh vegetables to their families, the Chajulense coffee farmers would not have been able to produce 22 containers of coffee and we would be nowhere near our self-managed development goal of having the women from Chel become the promoters that bring the food sovereignty project to neighboring communities. We plan for that next step to occur in 2018 and at that time, The Coffee Trust will move on to support another community in Guatemala. Our work isn't done in Chel and we need your help. Your tax deductible donation makes a difference, really.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION.
The great thing about the modern world and the internet is that it connects us to the lives of people like Maria Raymundo and her family. Please let your family and friends know that you are supporting the work that The Coffee Trust is doing. Feel free to share this report card as well.
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The two key differences between hot and cold brewing are Time and Temperature.
Hot brewing is quick. High temperatures excite many of the compounds in the coffee, giving you a short window to extract the desired flavors. Some of these compounds (acids in particular) are only soluble at high temperatures, and lend to some of the more unique, sharper and acidic flavors you may be familiar with.
Cold brewing increases the brewing time significantly. At room temperature (or below) some of the aforementioned compounds will not be introduced to your cup. This brewing process takes your total time from minutes to hours, but results in a much more rounded, smooth, and chocolatey flavor profile, with much less acidity.
Cold brewed coffee also uses a lower ratio of water to coffee. With this reduced ratio, cold brew batches yield a much more concentrated coffee that can be diluted to the desired strength. Another benefit is that cold brew concentrate has a longer shelf life. Refrigerated, cold brew concentrate can last upwards of a week without diminishing quality.
The Coffee Exchange features two types of cold brew.
Our primary iced coffee is brewed daily using the Toddy Cold Brew system, yielding several gallons over the 24-hour brewing process. This iced coffee is stored as a concentrate, and cut 50/50 to be served on tap, on demand.
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One of the most striking cold-brew methods is the “Tower Drip.” Displayed by the entrance of the café this coffee is served either
neat or on the rocks. This coffee comes undiluted, more equivalent to
an iced espresso, it is jam-packed with smooth, strong flavor.
Keep an eye out for an upcoming guide with suggestions for cold brewing at home. In the meantime stock up with an Iced Coffee Growler! If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to shoot us an email at MailOrder@thecoffeeexchange.com or ask any of our staff in store.
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The Coffee Trust’s bimonthly Report Cards give insights into recent developments in our projects in the Ixil region of Guatemala.
This report card looks a little different from the ones you’ve seen before. This time we’re including stories from the Women’s Savings and Micro-Credit Project, Chajulense de Mujeres. The project began with 20 women and now has 1,700 participants. It is 100% financially sustainable, and on track to become a major lending institution for the poor in the Ixil region. The Coffee Trust provides training in financial management so the women will have the skills to manage the program’s continuous and dramatic growth.
Thank you for your support! - The Coffee Trust Team
Learn more about how you can help or become a member of The Coffee Trust at
or email
info@thecoffeetrust.org
]]>"The Chajulense craft program grew out of the Chajulense coffee program as a way to export the goods made by many of the women of the communities represented by the coffee cooperative. The cooperative has been selling the crafts abroad, and the coffee copperative has supported the women. With fluctuating coffee prices and the recent outbreak of Roya, which threatens the coffee crops, the cooperative is in need of partners to make the craft project self sustaining. We bring these crafts to the United States just as we do with the coffee in direct partnership with the cooperative. This way we make sure that the producers of these fine crafts are paid a fair wage for their efforts. We need to bring up the volume of sales so that we can help more members of the community and reduce some of the overhead costs like shipping. We appreciate your help with the purchase and promotion to your freinds and family of these beautiful products."
Coffee Exchange is proud to announce that we will be offering some of these beautifully crafted products in our cafe. Each and every item is Fair Trade and of quality production . Through the Chajulense Association a minimum of 10% of the profit is invested in community projects, education, and health.
Please visit the Hands of Guatemala website to learn more or purchase more of these hand crafted products.
]]>Additionally, we will be sharing more of who we are and what we do. Our goal is to provide you with the latest news from our shop, information on the progress and achievements of The Coffee Trust, and the backstory to help you get more than coffee out of your cup. A lot goes into sourcing Fair Trade Organic coffee beans, roasting them to bring out their best flavor characteristics, and crafting the blends you have come to love.
It is our mission to uphold this standard of quality in everything we do from roasting and sourcing coffee to supporting coffee farming partners. We look forward to sharing our story and love of coffee in the months to come. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out via email at mailorder@thecoffeeexchange.com or to me personally at charlie@thecoffeeexchange.com
And Thank You,
Charlie Fishbein
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