Chiapas Farms Medium Roast

Ever heard of Chiapas coffee? Until recently I hadn’t. The topic came up last month, when a colleague and I were sent a pound of coffee from the Mexican farm company called Chiapas Farms for review. The name of the business is inspired by Chiapas (chee-AH-pahs), the southernmost state in Mexico. 

Chiapas (geographically speaking) is located in the southern mountain region of Mexico next to the Pacific Ocean. Chiapas coffees grown in this region are popular for their subtle aroma, medium body, and natural chocolate flavors while containing a bright acidity.

The best Chiapas coffees are grown in the southeast corner near the border of Guatemala. This area is known for its hot, humid climate and may bear the name Tapachula, after the town with the same name.

Most coffee growers in Chiapas, Mexico, live in ejidos, which means, land held in common by the entire community, which is worked by individual families. The individual coffee fields are usually 2 to 10 acres in size and are spotted in locations high in the mountains. Farmers working the crops travel two or more hours by foot, and over extremely steep terrain to reach their fields. These farmers work unbelievably hard to produce a coffee with truly amazing flavors and taste.  

As I performed a quick web search into the Chiapas Farm Company, I was pleasantly surprised that they not only offer organic coffee, but also a wide-range of produce as well. They are Fair Trade Certified, which means the farmers are part of a fair trade cooperative that guarantees a quality wage. Chiapas farmers receive more per pound from the cooperative than they would receive on their own. This aids to improve their standard of living.

As for the whole-bean medium roast coffee I received, he bag opening displayed an attractive sheen and an overall dark brown color (darker than many medium roast products in the States). For execution, I brewed the coffee in my usual drip method.

As the coffee was brewing, my kitchen was filled with warm hints of almond, nougat, cocoa, and a little caramel. As a bonus (at least to me), I also picked up incredible mellow sweet fruit smells of cherry, apple, and rhubarb. The coffee was smooth and had less bite then I expected for the roast level. Overall the coffee displayed a brisk acidity with a delicate flavor and the coloring gave off a light to medium body. I found my first cup well balanced with acidity reminiscent of a dry wine.

While I cannot really comment on their dark roast product, Chiapas Farms medium roast was very enjoyable and offered a decent flavor. Definitely a great quality product and a unique taste experience. If you are looking for a cup of direct trade, organic coffee from Mexico, strongly consider giving Chiapas Farms a try.

From the company

The beauty of Chiapas Farms is that we believe doing well is good business. We believe in turning a profit, but not at the expense of anyone or anything in the supply chain. What we’ve been doing since 2008 benefits consumers, farmers and the environment … all in the name of supplying fresh, high-quality vegetables and coffee.

Our independent farmers are part of a fair trade cooperative which guarantees them a living wage. Because they receive more per pound from the cooperative than they would receive on their own we are able to vastly improve the standard of living for the farmers, their families and their community.

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