Philippine Nano Lot Series, Lot 2020

Introducing our latest release from our ongoing collaboration in the Philippines: the fourth-year collection of unique and experimental "nano-lots" from Sitio Naguey, nestled in the Benguet mountain region. This coffee represents Mostra’s true "Direct Trade" efforts in the Philippines. For more details about our work and our first visit to the farms, check out the "About Us" page. Lot 2020, a standout from this collection, is meticulously sorted and made up entirely of peaberries, offering a truly distinctive coffee experience. This washed, or wet-processed, blend features the typica, bourbon, and san ramon varieties.

Peaberries form when only one seed develops inside a coffee cherry, resulting in a smaller, rounder shape compared to the typical two-bean flat side. Although they occur naturally, they make up only a small percentage of the harvest. Due to their dense composition, peaberries excel at absorbing high roasting temperatures, and their tightly packed cellulose structure enhances sugar caramelization, delivering a sweeter cup profile.

Kalsada, our partner in the Philippines, provides more insight into this particular lot: “On the sunnier, lower side of Sitio Belis lies another small community of committed coffee growers – Sitio Naguey. Though it’s only 800 meters from the first mill, the hike is steep, and there’s no vehicle access, so everything is carried by foot. After consulting with the farmers, we decided to build a mill closer to them, reducing the time spent hiking and hauling cherries. This allows farmers to focus more on picking and sorting, ensuring better coffee quality with cherries reaching the mill more quickly and being processed faster.”

In previous years, only naturally processed coffee was produced from Naguey. However, due to typhoon-related rains and winds during this harvest, the decision was made to wash the coffees to protect their quality. The beans underwent a 24-hour dry fermentation, followed by 24 hours of wet fermentation. Afterward, they were dried for 4-6 weeks, then stored in grainpro bags for an additional 4-6 weeks before being hulled and sorted.