Sitio Belis, Philippines

Region: Caliking, Atok, Benguet, Philippines
Growers: 100 smallholder family farmers
Altitude: 1400-1700 MASL
Varieties: Typica, Bourbon, San Ramon
Flavor Notes: Cacao, Tangerine, Pineapple
Weight: 12 oz
Roast Level: Light to Medium Roast

The expression of this coffee is approachable and sweet. Enjoy taste notes of cacao, tangerine, and pineapple. The coffee is sourced from our friends at Kalsada Coffee in the community of Sitio Belis. 

Sitio Belis sits atop a mountain range in Benguet, Philippines with an elevation of 1400 – 1700 MASL. It is blessed with natural springs that flow all-year round and is home to vegetable and coffee growers. This community has been cultivating coffee since the end of WWII and while chayote is their primary crop, they expanded their backyard coffee plantation when buyers came looking for supply. The individual farmers of the Ibaloi tribe have been processing their coffees in different ways, with practices that were either passed on from their forefathers or from farmers who have joined trainings outside the community. There were no set standards and quality had been inconsistent.

With the creation of the community washing station, farmers and their children were trained together. In addition, those who have fewer trees were given the opportunity to earn more by working in the coffee processing stages, while those who had more trees were given financial aid to hire pickers so they could harvest more.

For the washed coffee, farmers bring fresh picked cherries to the mill every day and are immediately processed. The coffees are depulped, and wet fermented for 36-48 hours. They are washed multiple times in order to completely remove the mucilage and are then left to dry on raised drying beds. Afterwards, the coffees in parchment are stored in grainpro bags and left to rest for 4-6 weeks. Coffees are then hulled and hand-sorted before being prepared for export.