Peru Finca Cordillera Andina Churupampa

Dave’s Koffiebranderij from Hoofddorp is a small-scale Dutch specialty coffee roastery. One of their special coffees is the Peru Finca Cordillera Andina Churupampa – a single-origin coffee from the highlands of Peru. This coffee stands out for its sweet flavor profile and responsible provenance. Below the main aspects are discussed, from origin and roasting to flavor, sustainability and brewing advice.

This coffee comes from Finca Cordillera Andina, a farm in the village of Chirinos, Cajamarca in the Peruvian Andes. The owner, Neftalí Santos, cultivates fully organically and is self-sufficient; he makes compost from coffee pulp, honey and goat and guinea pig manure. Since 2016 Neftalí has been working with Finca Churupampa – a progressive cooperative run by the Tocto family, known for sustainable agriculture and a focus on quality. The coffee plants grow at around 1,800 meters altitude in the Cordillera Andina, a climate that is ideal for the slow ripening of highland coffee.

Dave’s roasts this coffee fresh in small batches and offers it in two roast profiles. Notably, it is available both as a light and a dark roast. The light roast is ideal for filter coffee and accentuates the bean's fruity tones and bright acidity. The dark roast provides a more powerful body and emphasizes the deep chocolate flavor – perfect for a full espresso or cappuccino. This way every enthusiast can choose the roast that best suits their taste.

The cup reveals pronounced sweetness, with rich notes of chocolate, tropical fruit, berries and raisins. This combination creates a complex tasting experience: the sweetness of dried fruit and raisin goes hand in hand with hints of ripe tropical fruit and cocoa. The aromas are full and fruity, with a subtle chocolate note in the background. Thanks to this layered profile every sip is interesting, with a soft, sweet finish that lingers.

Finca Cordillera Andina applies the traditional washed processing method. First, the ripe coffee cherries are selectively hand-picked and immediately pulped (the fruit flesh removed). The beans then ferment for 36 to 75 hours in fermentation tanks, after which they are thoroughly washed with clear water. After washing the drying process begins: the beans are briefly pre-dried using a mechanical dryer and then spread out on raised African drying beds, where they slowly dry for 10 to 25 days in the mountain air. This careful, slow processing results in a clean and balanced coffee flavor without unwanted off-flavors.

This coffee is 100% Arabica and is a blend of the Bourbon, Caturra and even the famed Geisha varieties. Bourbon is known for its sweet, balanced taste, while Caturra (a natural Bourbon mutation) is prized for its productivity and clear cup profile. Geisha is a rarer variety, celebrated worldwide for its floral and elegant aromas. All plants grow at high altitude (~1800 meters), which contributes to concentrated flavors and lively acidity. The result is a complex blend of varieties that together deliver a unique flavor dimension.

Sustainability is central to this coffee. Neftalí's farm is certified organic and uses fully ecological methods. By-products from coffee production are reused – for example, the coffee pulp is combined with honey and goat and guinea pig manure to create nutrient-rich compost for the fields. Through the Finca Churupampa cooperative, Neftalí and more than 300 other local farmers receive a fair price for their beans, decoupled from the fluctuating world market price. The cooperative also invests in the community: there is a training center and a quality laboratory where farmers are assisted in improving their cultivation. This approach ensures traceable, high-quality coffee that is good for both people and the environment.

• Light roast (filter): Ideal for slow coffee methods such as the V60 dripper, Chemex or a classic drip filter machine. Use fresh water at around 92 °C and a ratio of approximately 1:16 (coffee:water) to bring out the fruity nuances.
• Dark roast (espresso): Excellent for espresso machines or a moka pot. Use a slightly finer grind; for a double espresso, for example, ~18 grams of coffee for ~36 ml yield. Aim for an extraction time of about 25 seconds for a balanced shot with full body and chocolate notes.
• With milk: The dark roast is well suited for cappuccinos and lattes. Thanks to the pronounced chocolate flavor, the coffee still comes through clearly through the milk, creating a creamy mocha-like experience.
• French press or cafetière: Both roast types work well here. For the light roast, a slightly coarser grind produces a clean cup, while the dark roast yields a more powerful cup. Four minutes of steeping time is a good starting point.
• Fresh grinding: Grind the beans just before use for the best result. Dave’s can also grind the coffee on request when ordering (from espresso-fine to coarse), but for optimal aromas, grinding fresh oneself is recommended.

The Peru Cordillera Andina Churupampa belongs to the specialty coffee category and scored in the mid-80s at cuppings (around 83–84 on the 100-point scale). Although this specific coffee has not won major awards, it is highly valued within the coffee world for its quality and flavor balance. The consistently high quality is partly ensured by expertise at origin, for example Eber Tocto (co-founder of Finca Churupampa) is one of the first certified Q-graders in Peru, which means strict internal quality control. European roasters and connoisseurs appreciate this Peruvian coffee for its deep chocolate notes and the elegant fruity nuances in the cup profile. It is also popular with customers; many coffee lovers return for this tasty and honest coffee.

Dave’s packs its coffee beans in a simple but thoughtful packaging. The current bags are made of paper and can be recycled with paper waste after use. Each coffee bag has a clear label with all relevant information, such as the coffee name, origin, roast and roast date. For freshness, the bags are equipped with a one-way valve so that excess CO₂₂ can escape without allowing oxygen to reach the beans. In addition, Dave’s considers the environment with its shipping materials: there is an option for a reusable shipping package (which can be returned for reuse), and local customers can even have their own coffee tin refilled at the market. The packaging style is functional and rustic, usually a natural paper bag, fitting the artisanal and sustainable approach of the product.

Peru Finca Cordillera Andina Churupampa is readily available both online and offline. Dave’s Koffiebranderij sells this coffee through its own webshop and at local markets in the Hoofddorp/Amsterdam area, such as the Zuidermarkt on Saturdays. It is typically offered in 250 g, 500 g or 1 kg bags. The price for 250 grams is around €10 to €11 (for example €10.25 for 250 g) and about €38.50 for a one-kilogram bag, a competitive price for specialty coffee of this quality. Online orders are usually shipped freshly roasted within a few days. Because it is a microlot, stock is sometimes limited, while stocks last may apply. Coffee lovers are therefore advised not to wait too long when this unique Peruvian coffee becomes available.