Easy Ride - Bolivia
toffee nut, cacao nib, raisin
Taking the road less traveled? Well don’t...Do yourself a favor and take the Easy Ride. This mainstay offering lives nestled between a bar of dark chocolate and a cozy slice of pecan pie. Use this easy-to-brew coffee for cold brew, espresso, and filter, but most importantly, make sure to take it easy!
Origin: Caranavi, Bolivia
Alititude: 1350- 1600 masl
Variety: Pacamara
Process: Washed
Imported by Redfox Coffee Merchants
Notes from the importer:
Fortin is a small community within Bolivia's Caranavi district, comprised of smallholder producers who typically cultivate Pacamara variety under a protective canopy of native shade trees. The region’s relationship with coffee began in the 1960s following Bolivia’s agricultural reform, eventually reaching a peak in the 1990s. While that era was characterized by a focus on volume, the early 2000s marked a pivot toward quality, fueled by international development agencies that introduced modern infrastructure and training as a sustainable alternative to coca production.
Today, Caranavi has fully embraced its identity as Bolivia's Coffee Capital. This pride is evident in the local culture, where frequent competitions and a bustling cafe scene drive a healthy sense of competition among farmers. A new, younger generation of producers in their 30s and 40s is increasingly taking the lead, bringing a fresh perspective to traditional methods. While the average farm size is between two and three hectares, many families maintain a diversified agricultural model. Alongside coffee, they cultivate pineapples and citrus fruits for family consumption and trade at the local "feria" each Wednesday, and maintain small, regulated plots of coca.
The logistics of the harvest season are unique to the Caranavi landscape. Producers sell their coffee in cherry form, and the primary mode of transport is the Toyota Ipsum—heavily modified and reinforced to navigate mountain roads with significant weight. It takes approximately one hour to transport cherries from Fortin to the collection stations in Caranavi. These stations open at 5 pm and remain active until the last deliveries are made, often around midnight. From there, the coffee is moved to a centralized washing station, where processing begins in the early hours of the morning.
While traditional washed processing remains the standard, the widespread use of smartphones has given Fortin’s producers direct access to global industry trends. This connectivity has sparked a new era of experimentation with natural and alternative processing methods. Although recent municipal training has occasionally promoted reduced shade to increase productivity, much of the coffee in Fortin remains shade-grown, balancing traditional wisdom with modern technical development. This evolution ensures that the community continues to produce a product that reflects the refined quality and vibrant culture of Bolivian coffee.
We roast on Tuesday and Thursday. Your order will be shipped or available for local pick up on Friday.