About Manuel Marlo Baca

Manuel Marlo Baca is a fourth-generation coffee producer from Roblepampa, within the Lonya Grande district of Utcubamba, Amazonas. Coffee farming has been part of his family for decades, with knowledge and land passed between successive generations.

Manuel is part of a wider coffee-producing community in Lonya Grande. Several members of his extended family also work in coffee, including his cousin Roiber Becerra.

Since 2017, Manuel has taken a leading role in improving the farm’s agronomy, processing methods and quality control. He has invested in professional training, including Q Processing Level 1, and applies a structured, experimental approach to speciality coffee production.

That commitment has already produced competition success. Manuel’s Gesha has won district-level competitions in each of the past two years, followed by a regional competition win in Amazonas.

About Finca Pacpa

Finca Pacpa is situated at the top of Roblepampa, within Pacpa village in the Lonya Grande district. The farm reaches approximately 1,850 metres above sea level, with its elevation helping to produce coffees with vibrant acidity, aromatic intensity and clarity.

Manuel cultivates Bourbon, Gesha and Pacamara at Finca Pacpa. The coffee grows within an agroforestry system alongside pine, cedar and guabo trees. These deep-rooted trees provide consistent shade while helping to regulate soil moisture across the farm.

This particular Gesha was grown on a newer 1.8-hectare section of the farm at approximately 1,752 metres above sea level. Flowering typically peaks in November, with the first cherries beginning to develop by May. The main harvest then takes place between May and October.

The Gesha Coffee Variety

Gesha is valued for its distinctive floral aromatics, elegant acidity and delicate cup structure. When grown at high altitude and processed carefully, the variety can produce remarkably clear expressions of citrus, tea and white florals.

At Finca Pacpa, the combination of high elevation, agroforestry and Manuel’s precise processing creates a particularly aromatic expression of the variety. In our roast interpretation, the coffee presents with fragrant bergamot, jasmine and orange blossom.

How Was This Coffee Processed?

Processing begins with the selective harvesting of fully ripe Gesha cherries. The cherries are floated in water to remove underdeveloped fruit before being hand-sorted to improve quality and uniformity.

The selected cherries are then pulped and inspected again to remove any remaining unripe fruit. Following pulping, the coffee undergoes 36 hours of anaerobic fermentation inside sealed vats.

During fermentation, Manuel carefully monitors the conditions inside the vats. The coffee mass is maintained at approximately 18°C, with Brix readings between 15 and 18 and a final pH between 3.8 and 4.2. These measurements help him determine how fermentation is progressing and when the desired balance of sweetness and acidity has been reached.

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee is washed three times to remove the remaining mucilage. It is then transferred to a solar dryer, where it dries gradually for approximately 15 to 20 days under controlled conditions.

Drying continues until the coffee reaches a moisture content of approximately 10% to 10.5%. The dried parchment is then rested for one month before milling, allowing its moisture content to stabilise and helping preserve the coffee’s sweetness, aromatics and clarity.