Gloria Ortega

Meet Gloria Ortega, who grew up in the mountain village of Sevilla, San Agustín (1,920 masl), surrounded by coffee and family. A lifelong hard worker, she began picking coffee as a child on her grandfather’s farm and neighbouring plots. Life took her from managing farms with her husband to purchasing her own — El Progreso — where she gradually replanted old trees with quality varieties.

Espresso:

Use 18-22g of coffee.

• Aim to extract 37 – 39g of liquid.
• Extraction time should be 28 – 32 sec.
• Water temperature: 91 – 94°C.

Filter/Drip/Immersion:

• Start with a ratio of 1:16 (coffee to water).
• Example: If using 20g of coffee, target around 320g of brewed liquid.
• Water temperature: 91 – 93°C.

Pour Over:

• Coffee dose: 15 g
• Water: 220–250 g (≈1:15–1:16 ratio)
• Water temperature: 92 °C / 198 °F
• Filter: CAFEC T-90 medium-dark paper filter
• Filter prep: Quick rinse only

☕ Brewing Steps

• Add ~45 g water (3× coffee weight).
• Pour in a spiral with good agitation to fully saturate.
• Allow the bloom to last at least 45 seconds, and extend up to 2 minutes depending on the coffee’s roast level and freshness.

• After bloom, pour in a spiral to cover all grounds.
• Continue in small circles until reaching 220–250 g total water.
• Keep the pour steady and even.

• Total brew time: ~2 minutes (not including extended bloom).
• Only swirl the brewer if the drawdown is too fast, to slow it down.
• Otherwise, let the coffee drain naturally.

Don’t forget to play around with the variables and have fun!

Enjoy

Washed

The cherries are harvested every three weeks, allowing the plants to rest for two weeks. They are then fermented for 24 hours and pulped the next day. Then the beans undergo a second dry fermentation in majolica tanks for 48 hours. After washing the beans, they are left to drain for 3 hours and then taken to the dryer for 15 to 20 days.

Monkaaba is an initiative in San Agustin led by Esnaider Ortega Gomez and other coffee growers associated with the Los Naranjos group.

They aim to empower smallholder coffee growers by helping them gain autonomy in production and marketing.

Monkaaba assists growers in finding better markets and invests in their knowledge and skills for long-term success.

Esnaider’s inspiration came from his experience as a sample roaster and cupper, where he saw producers struggle with understanding buyer requirements. He felt many producers were overlooked in the specialty market due to a lack of feedback and support.

Through Monkaaba, Esnaider focuses on the well-being of all coffee producers in Huila, hosting cupping sessions and discussions to support growers of all levels. This project is crucial for the future of specialty coffee, fostering producer engagement and understanding while building authentic relationships with roasters.

What We Paid to Gloria Ortega

Farmgate price (what we paid Gloria): 3,500,000 Colombian Pesos per carga. That’s the amount Gloria received directly for her coffee — well above the national average.

National average farmgate price (recent): 2,900,000 COP per carga. Most producers in Colombia were getting this amount around that time — ₱600,000 less than what we paid.

FOB price (export level):  $6.51 CAD per pound. This is the price typically paid for coffee ready to export — it includes export fees, logistics, and milling.

Our price to Gloria:  $6.51 CAD per pound* We matched the FOB price at the farmgate, meaning Gloria received the full export‑level value directly — a rare and impactful approach in coffee sourcing.

Additional costs we covered: ➕ $30 CAD surcharge, ➕ $210 CAD freight, ➕ $70 CAD customs clearance. These are our own costs on top of what we paid Gloria, ensuring her payment was untouched by shipping or import expenses.

Most farmers were getting around 2.9 M COP per carga, but we paid 3.5 M — roughly 21% more. At the export level, coffee is often sold at $6.51/lb, but instead of that value being absorbed by middlemen, we ensured it went straight to Gloria.

This is how we build transparent, fair, and impactful relationships — one coffee at a time.