Ecuador is an equatorial country in South America, with a land area about the size of Japan's main island. The Andes Mountains, formed by the uplift of the ocean floor, traverse the country from north to south, and the land is rich in minerals and fertile.

The winds from the Amazon region and the Galapagos Islands blow against the mountain ranges, forming rare cloud forests that account for only about 3% of the world's forests.

Despite its small size, Ecuador is known as one of the mega-diversity countries because of its high concentration of a wide variety of animals, plants, and microorganisms.
The country's large indigenous population has preserved the nature by maintaining the connection between the human and the natural world by passing on cultures and traditions such as Inti Raymi (sun festival) and expressing gratitude to the gods of the earth.

Ecuadorian coffee comes from this fertile land, produced in micro-lots and nano-lots.

The globally acclaimed CoE has become active in Ecuador since 2021, boosting the country’s emerging coffee scene. However, the USD based transaction and the nature of Ecuador’s coffee production which isn’t compatible with mass production prohibit the industry to grow, and Ecuador as a coffee producing country still requires more presence in the world.

While Ecuador still faces such challenges, their small-scale production has its merit being high quality that reflects the personality and intentions of the farm very well.

Ximena-san, the owner of the farm, was born into a family running a coffee farm- the farm was passed down by her mother, and now Ximena-san is running the farm with her son, Hubert-san, who’d be the third generation to tend to the farm. In 2015 they switched to produce specialty coffee.

Hubert-san, who is a certified Q grader, is also running a coffee shop, Soul Coffee House in the city of Loja, and he supports his mother through processing, roasting and working as a barista. He is also conducting a study on coffee processes in collaboration with a university in Loja.

How the importer met Rurukuna:

Mochizuki-san met Hubert-san at a cupping session at Alaska del Sur farm in Saraguro. Mochizuki-san then visited Hubert-san at his coffee shop in Loja, and was impressed by the top quality coffee they served. Mochizuki-san also cupped Hubert-san’s coffees and loved the unique characteristics of them, as well as Hubert-san’s youthful, enthusiastic energy.

“Anaerobic Washed with Mossto”

The cherries were processed with other nearby farm’s cherries produced by Carlos-san.

Carlos-san’s farm does not have a name yet.

Hubert-san took the lead in the process, and used cherries harvested when they were 20-22 Brix. First, they fermented the cherries for 48 hours in anaerobic environment, pulped them, soaked them in mossto and lactic base for 30 hours, and washed them. This takes the pH down to 4.5. Then the beans are laid under a direct sunlight for 5 hours before moved to a green house with 60% light, and be rest to dry for 20 days.

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）
01:40~ +50g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:30

Check out Kurasu Coffee Brew Guide for more information!

Flat Bed Dripper:

・Dripper: Kalita Wave Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 92℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 30g（Total: 30g）
00:40~ +30g（Total: 60g）
01:10~ +140g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:05 to 02:15

Check out our Youtube for more information!

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 150g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Ice cubes: 70g
・Grind: Medium fine

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:10

Check out our Japanese Iced Coffee Recipe for more information!