Our Three New Peruvian Craft Coffees

We’re proud to introduce our newest Peruvian craft coffees! Our coffee buyers discovered Oxampampa Gesha and NARSA Natural Bourbon through our long-term partnership with NARSA, a coffee co-op headquartered in Peru’s Junin region.

Sourced through our Friend2Farmer Direct Trade Program

“Crimson Cup has been trading directly with growers in Peru for many years,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert. “We’re excited to introduce three new exceptional coffees sourced through our expanding relationships there.

All of the coffees were dried on the roof-top drying facility at NARSA that Crimson Cup helped to build in 2017 and tested for quality at the Coffee Innovation College at NARSA, which we helped to develop and certify as an SCA Premier Training Campus in 2018.”

We sourced the coffees through our Friend2Farmer direct trade program, which ensures that farmers receive a fair share of proceeds from coffee sales and helps farmers invest in agricultural and community improvements. 

We’re High on Peruvian Coffee

Education and Sustainability Director Brandon Bir said he has been optimistic about Peruvian coffee since he first visited the country’s coffee farms in 2014.

“In just five years, I’ve seen significant advances in coffee quality – in farming, processing and roasting. Our new craft coffees showcase some of these advances.”

One of Our Favorite Coffees of 2019

Brandon said cherry-dried Oxapampa Gesha is one of his favorite coffees of 2019.

“We are thankful to share a bit of grower Hector Portocarrero’s passion for excellent coffee,” he said. “With notes of florals, mango, pineapple and other tropical fruits, this coffee could compete against some of the best in the country.”

To extract optimal flavors, we recommend preparing light-roasted Oxapampa Gesha with a Hario v60 brewer using 27 grams of finely ground coffee to 410 grams of water (including 40 grams of bloom water).

Kenya or Peru? It’s Hard to Taste the Difference

Cherry dried NARSA Natural Bourbon was grown by Tomas Montanez Clemente in nearby Chanchamayo, Peru.

“With notes of pear, kiwi, and green apple, you might assume this coffee is from a well-known farm in Kenya,” Brandon said. “Carefully dried Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra cherries produce a super clean and complex cup with sweetness that surpasses any coffee from this region.”

Our cuppers recommend brewing light-roasted NARSA Natural Bourbon with a Hario v60 brewer using 25 grams of finely ground coffee to 40 grams of water (including 35 grams of bloom water).

Our Partnership with NARSA

Crimson Cup has been working with NARSA (NEGOCIACIONES AGROINDUSTRIAL AREVALO S. A.), a cooperative in Junín region, since 2014. Founded by Don Julio Abel Arevalo Tello in 1988, NARSA focuses on helping small coffee and cacao farmers in Peru’s Central Highlands and Amazon regions with achieving market access throughout Peru and beyond.

Brandon, who is also a licensed Q Grader and SCA Lab Inspector, worked with NARSA and its affiliated COOPERU organization for two years to develop the Coffee Innovation College at NARSA. Crimson Cup consulted on building and equipping the lab to SCA standards and contributed professional quality coffee grinders. The facility was certified as an SCA Premier Training Campus in 2018.

“NARSA is dedicated to the well-being of the local coffee-growing community,” Brandon said. “This helps them push cup quality and crop health as a means to a more sustainable industry, which perfectly aligns with Crimson Cup’s commitment to quality and sustainability.”