The Story Behind the Beans
This coffee comes from the Miktimb Farmers Group, a collective of 45 smallholder farmers in and around Muglamp Village in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands Province, just north of Mount Hagen.
While many coffees are dried quickly after harvest, the farmers behind this lot chose a more demanding path to create an even better cup.
Most coffee in Papua New Guinea is dried over just 3 to 5 days. For this coffee, the drying process was carefully extended to 15–20 days under shade.
This slower drying process reduces the water activity inside each coffee bean, helping preserve more of the coffee's natural flavors while creating a cleaner, more vibrant cup.
That extra quality doesn't come easily.
Slower drying means the raised drying beds stay occupied much longer, reducing the space available for new harvests. It also requires additional investment in raised beds and shade netting, more labor to regularly turn the coffee over two to three weeks instead of just a few days, and careful monitoring of the parchment temperature throughout the process.
It's a significant commitment—but one that pays off.
The result is a coffee with brighter, more expressive tasting notes and higher overall quality. By producing a better coffee, the farmers can earn a higher premium for their harvest, helping make the additional work worthwhile for their families and communities.
It's a wonderful example of how patience, craftsmanship, and thoughtful farming practices can create a better cup while supporting the people who grow it.
🌿 Why Slow Shade Drying Matters
Drying coffee is one of the most important steps in producing exceptional coffee.
When coffee dries too quickly, flavor development can be limited. By extending the drying process over 15 to 20 days under shade, the coffee has more time to stabilize and preserve the characteristics developed while growing on the tree.
The slower process helps create:
More vibrant flavor notes
Improved sweetness
Better flavor preservation
Higher overall cup quality
It's one of the many reasons this coffee delivers such a memorable drinking experience.
