THE DECAF PROCESS
Mountain Water Process is a method of indirect decaffeination. All our MWP decafs come from Descamex, which uses pure water from Pico de Orizaba—the highest mountain in Mexico. The process begins with a chemical analysis to determine optimal conditions, and then the beans are steamed and prepared for extraction. The extraction process uses a water-based saturated solution that removes the caffeine while keeping the coffee's flavor compounds in place.
Fun fact: Roasters don't hear the "crack" when roasting decaf, because the crack represents moisture reaching a boiling point inside the bean and pushing through; with decaf, this isn't the case, because the cellular structure of the bean has been changed.
THE COFFEE
Our Chiapas Turquesa, or turquoise, takes its name from the precious blue-green gemstone that was revered by the Aztecs, Toltec and other early Mexican cultures.
This coffee comes from smallholder producers who deliver to the San Cristobal de las Casas and Yajalón buying stations in northern Chiapas, to the east and northeast of Tuxla Gutiérrez the region. The growing area, which runs between altitudes of 900 and 1,100 meters, is characterized by large bean sizes and a round, balanced cup with a smooth body — an ideal morning cup.
For decades, Chiapas has been the center of political and ethnic conflicts. The Zapatista movement prevented any large coffee farms from coming into existence, due to their demands for indigenous rights and land access. Consequently, coffee has been cultivated mainly by smallholders, often descendants of Indigenous tribes, These producers plant, harvest and prepare the coffee by hand, sparing no effort to produce coffees they can feel proud of. Generally, they each produce between 10 and 15 bags.
To help ensure that producers receive a fair price, InterAmerican works closely with the exporters that support these communities with social projects. The exporters also use their own transportation infrastructure to bring the producers’ coffees to market.
The harvest season is December through March. All the coffee is received in parchment, quality controlled, and transported to a high tech dry mill in Veracruz. After a second quality check, the coffee is cleaned, milled and sorted to be prepared for export. This coffee has a quality-control standard that allows for only 15 imperfections per 300 grams.
