Peru Clever Catuai

Our relationship with Clever Acosta began in 2019, but it was a visit to his four-hectare farm in 2021 that gave us a deeper appreciation for the way he approaches coffee. While traveling to Northern Peru to judge the Atipanaku competition, Chris quickly noticed that Clever was running a sophisticated operation dedicated to producing excellent coffee. Equipped with a small roaster & cupping lab on the bottom of his house, Clever can hone his coffees in a way that most cannot. He is a grower driven by curiosity, experimentation, and an unwavering attention to detail. Clever doesn’t simply grow coffee—he questions what it can become, experimenting with processing and returning to the cup again and again through roasting and cupping. As a result, Clever is a regular winner of the Cup of Excellence in Peru. This Catuai captures that spirit beautifully. A variety better known for its reliability than its distinction, Catuai is a hybrid of Caturra and Mundo Novo and is grown widely throughout the Americas. In Clever’s hands, however, it becomes something altogether more expressive. Traditional washed processing reveals a well-balanced cup layered with sweet nougat, bright orange acidity, and subtle hints of vanilla. A creamy texture and round body carry these flavors into a smooth, lingering finish. It’s a coffee that reminds us why we continue to work with Clever: exceptional results often begin with the willingness to look at the familiar in an entirely new way.

How to Brew It:

This coffee should perform well using filter methods for more clarified flavors, or for more rounded and layered flavors, use immersion methods. Brew temperatures should be between 200 to 205, at a ratio of 1:15 or 1:16.