Counter Culture Coffee - Retail Finca Virgen de Copacabana

When the Santa Ana volcano erupted in 2005, Finca Santa Elena was nearly destroyed. For owner Fernando Lima, the disaster became a turning point. He rebuilt the farm with a focus on quality, replanting with high-quality varieties and adopting cultivation, processing, and drying practices that improved sustainability and cup quality. Today, Finca Santa Elena stands as a testament to resilience and innovation with some of the highest quality coffee in the region. We taste roasted cocoa, with a sweet cashew nuttiness and dried cherry finish. Pronunciation: FEEN-kah SAHN-tah…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Tucked away in the secluded eastern reaches of Nariño, the community of Santafé quietly cultivates exceptional coffee. Toldopamba, our partner in the region, supports local growers with technical assistance and quality control, enabling them to reach their full potential. We’ve focused our sourcing here since 2016, drawn by the community's strength and the outstanding quality of their coffee. The cup is big-bodied and syrupy, with layers of cocoa and dark cherry. Pronunciation…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The Java variety has a long history, with its genetic origins traced to regional landraces in western Ethiopia. As a variety known for producing high quality, the team at Finca Aurora has experimented with anaerobic processing to further accentuate Java’s unique potential. When done well, coffees processed in this way often result in profiles that are more fruit-forward and vibrant than their traditionally-washed counterparts. This particular convergence of genetics and anaerobic processing produced one of the most unique coffees we've tasted from Nicaragua.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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This subscriber-exclusive lot comes to us from the Cenfrocafe cooperative, our longest-running partnership in Peru. El Buen Pastor is a small association of 10 producers tending small plots in the San Pedro community of Tabaconas. Though we’ve worked with Cenfrocafe since 2007, this is our first purchase from the Tabaconas region. It’s a fairly remote area, about four hours by car from the cooperative’s headquarters in Jaen. Over the years, we’ve tasted a few small lots from Tabaconas with notable quality.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The story of the Java variety in Latin America is deeply rooted in Nicaragua. So much so that it’s often called ‘Javanica’ throughout the region. At Finca La Victoria, owners Mario and Nelly Lovo embody a spirit of constant improvement, with experimentation at the heart of their approach. When we learned that Java was among their newest plantings, we couldn’t wait to taste the results. This small lot was worth the wait, showcasing delicate flavors of nectarine and citrus atop a tea-like body. Pronunciation: FEEN-kah lah vik-TOR-ee-uh…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The Andes Mountains split into three ranges in Nariño, Colombia, creating a stunning landscape at ideal altitudes for coffee production. On a high ridge in the eastern range, members of the Agrounidos coffee association take advantage of their natural resources to produce some of the best coffees in the region. We work closely with the association every year to select the best lots for Cueva de los Llanos. Look for notes of green grape, almond, and milk chocolate.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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In 2007, Counter Culture embarked on a new, more transparent model of sourcing in northern Peru. We focused on coffee from five communities in the high-elevation areas of Ihuamaca, just outside of San Ignacio. Our relationships in this region are some of our longest-standing with producers anywhere in the world. Through many changes in this region since those early days, producers’ dedication to quality and environmental stewardship has remained steady. Sweet and approachable, look for balanced notes of toffee, vanilla and dried fruit. Pronunciation: VIE-yay del…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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In a small village deep within the Incahuasi Valley, Lucio Luque cultivates a vibrant coffee parcel, Nuevo Progresso. This section of his farm stands out for its exclusive planting of a unique variety that has redefined the region's potential for quality. Lucio's enthusiasm for this variety caught our attention, prompting us to collaborate with the cooperative and our supply chain partners to separate this coffee from the larger blend it was originally destined for. The outcome is a coffee that captivates with fruity notes of blood orange and bubble gum underpinned by delicate florals.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Our long-time partners, Marysabel Caballero and Moisés Herrera of Finca El Puente, have built a legacy of experimentation and innovation. Since we first met them in 2005, their relentless pursuit of coffee perfection continues to inspire us. Over the years, we’ve tasted countless lots from their farm, including rare varieties and unique processes. Again and again, we’ve noticed their honey-processed coffees stand out on the cupping table, consistently delivering more sweetness and depth when presented beside their washed counterparts.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Eudis Orosco named his farm Finca Villa Vista—an apt name for a farm that sits at a staggering 2,117 meter altitude with stunning views of snow-capped mountains and lush plant life. Eudis originally learned farm management from his father and refined his practices over the years with help from his cooperative, Incahuasi. From a section of his farm dedicated to the cultivation of the Gesha variety, this is an exquisite example of how amazing geography, coffee variety, and quality control produce a first-rate coffee with notes of blackberry, floral, and tropical fruit.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Our favorite coffees are often produced in the most stunning of settings, and the highlands of southern Oaxaca are no exception. Producers from this area have largely decided to keep their small plots planted with traditional varieties that were among the first coffee plants brought to the Americas. Well-adapted to this climate, these varieties have long contributed to Oaxacan coffee’s renowned elegance and sweetness. Look for flavors of raisin and chocolate layered atop this coffee's silky body. Pronunciation: REE-oh day…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Just outside the remote community of San Vicente Yogondoy, Pompilio Garcia Luna tends to a plot of traditional coffee varieties that have helped define the legacy of southern Oaxacan coffees for generations. Nestled in the lush shade canopy of the Sierra Sur mountain range, his farm is home to Pluma Hidalgo—an adaptation of the Typica varieties that were amongst the first coffee trees brought to the Americas—as well as Bourbon and Caturra trees. Pompilio’s meticulous cherry selection and processing results in a prime example of a top-quality Oaxacan coffee.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Intango traces its roots back to a USAID-funded initiative that transformed Rwanda’s coffee industry. The PEARL project invested at every stage of production, laying the foundation for Rwanda’s specialty coffee sector. Counter Culture engaged early, mentoring local professionals, including Gilbert Gatali, who later purchased one of the first PEARL-constructed washing stations and founded Intango. Gilbert believes in coffee's potential to transform lives, and his passion for coffee and the people behind it is inspiring to witness.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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High in the hills of Mount Elgon, a coffee-farming community works in near isolation, transporting each sack of coffee by foot or bike along rugged, nearly impassable roads. Where other exporters saw impossibility, Mountain Harvest saw potential: farmers willing to take risks and invest in their future. With support from a Counter Culture Seeds grant, they built a community-run processing station that has given rise to one of the best coffees we’ve tasted in the country, Mabono Honey. Expect notes of blood orange, cherry, and dark chocolate. Pronunciation…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Sometimes the heat of the moment calls for something cold. Cold Hearted was inspired by the hot southern days that make us crave iced coffee. The blend is bright and refreshing, reminiscent of sweet tea, with layers of cherry and cocoa nibs. No matter how you brew it, Cold Hearted delivers a crisp and invigorating cup.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Kushikamana blossomed from a partnership between Counter Culture and small-estate farmers near Mt. Kenya. The vision was to establish a more direct and transparent purchase model than Kenya’s typical export routes allow. These autonomous growers named the alliance Kushikamana, Swahili for "connected.” This selection embodies the iconic Kenyan coffee profile, delivering citrus, raisin, and savory notes. Pronunciation…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Abel Salinas is a first-generation coffee grower in Saraguro, southern Ecuador, and a key figure in the town’s rise as an origin of exceptional coffee. Alongside neighboring farmers who transitioned from cattle production to coffee cultivation, Abel planted the Typica Mejorado cultivar and began experimenting with innovative post-harvest processing methods. His efforts quickly earned recognition, including a historic first-place prize at Ecuador’s first Cup of Excellence competition.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Enjoying fresh, delicious coffee should be a year-round affair. That's why Fast Forward is a curated blend of similar coffees from different harvest periods, ensuring you can savor the freshest flavors no matter the season. The ever-changing selection of organic coffees guarantees a delightful balance of nutty and sweet notes, wrapped in a creamy body that will leave you craving another cup.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The coffees we source from the Colasay region have quickly become some of our favorites in all of Peru. Yonal Fernandez is part of a small group of producers in Colasay whose coffee we began purchasing in late 2019. His coffee has been featured in Fast Forward and La Viuda, but this is the first time we’re showcasing it as a unique microlot. Together with his wife, Imelda, Yonal cultivates the unique Bourbon de Colasay variety–a regional mutation that performs equally well in the field and in the cup.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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This coffee comes to us via Mountain Harvest, a company working to improve the quality of Ugandan coffee while making coffee communities more sustainable. We’ve been partners since 2018, their first season of production, noting and encouraging improvements over time. For the second year in a row, we are thrilled to offer Makali as a subscriber-exclusive product. Forty-five women in the Makali community produced this coffee. Women in eastern Africa do much of the work to produce coffee, but are not often encouraged to participate in its trade.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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Each sip of Gradient takes you on a journey through Colombia's coffee landscape. These high-quality Colombian coffees maintain their unique characteristics in this dark roast, resulting in a full-bodied and approachably sweet cup of coffee. With notes of dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and berries, Gradient is the perfect choice for coffee lovers who appreciate a dense and complex brew with a vibrant acidity.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The coffees produced at the Buliza washing station are the result of an innovative collaboration between a cooperatively owned union and private exporter. Just an hour north of the bustling capital of Kigali, producers from UCOCARU cooperative union deliver their fresh coffee cherries for processing under the care of the washing station’s experienced quality team. The results showcase a classic Rwandan flavor profile of red fruits running the gamut from fresh cranberry to dried fruit leather tied together with a delightfully crisp and clean body. Pronunciation…

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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We were introduced to Damian Espinoza during our first year working with Origin Coffee Lab, a specialty exporter in Peru. Since then, we’ve purchased his coffee every year and had the privilege of visiting his farm in Chirinos numerous times. During those visits, Damian has been quiet and reserved, but his coffee clearly speaks for itself. After placing highly in the Cup of Excellence, he has continued to explore new varieties and processing techniques in pursuit of quality.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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