HONDURAS LA ALITA

Dr. Erwin R. Mierisch, along with his wife, Maria Ligia McEwan de Mierisch, are Finca Mierisch’s 3rd generation producers. Their children, Erwin Jr, Eleane, and Steve, got involved in organizing, judging, and participating in the Cup of Excellence program from the mid 2000’s, which helped them to learn all the hard work it takes to produce high caliber coffee. Fincas Mierisch comprises 9 coffee farms in Nicaragua, and 3 coffee farms in Honduras. All three farms in Honduras sit at a higher altitude than any of our farms in Nicaragua. Erwin Jr. vision and hard work paid off with a 1st Place placing in Cup of Excellence 2019 with a Washed Gesha from Santa Lucia.
"La Alita (we changed it from Lalita as the family are Jimi Hendrix fans, as it means "Little Wing") is actually located right behind Santa Lucia, and it sits at 1450-1550masl. It was first planted in 2014 when we bought it, and planted Orange Bourbon, Ethiosar, and Red Catuai. La Alita is connected to our other two farms in Honduras: Cerro Azul and Santa Lucia. Each farm is dependent on each other as we have the wet mill and green house with raised beds in Santa Lucia and our cupping lab, warehouse, and some drying patios located in Cerro Azul. By connected, we
mean they’re a couple minutes by vehicle from each other so it is very easy to move in between them. La Alita has good altitude, with most of its coffee plots being shade grown. It receives quite a bit of rainfall, and its silty clay soil helps boost the nutrient and water retention capabilities of the soil."