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Barranquitas.- Sitting in front of one of the windows of his workshop in Barrio Cañabón, Miguel Ángel Ortiz Santos separates, grain by grain, the ripe coffee he buys from local coffee growers, removing impurities from the fruit. Then, with the hum of machines in the background, he pours the selected beans into the roasters that toast his exquisite product: La Torre Café Artesanal.

It is this rustic production process—which is on the brink of extinction—that sets this family brand apart in the competitive coffee industry on the island.

“After working as a cabinetmaker for 30 years, I created this coffee brand in 2006. I wanted it to be different from all the others... This coffee is roasted entirely with wood, as you see here; the aroma and flavor are dictated by the wood. It’s what gives this coffee that unique flavor. And I’m very proud of the brand, which we’ve been working on for 14 years,” said the owner of the only artisanal coffee producer in Barranquitas and creator of the machines that roast 800 pounds daily.

Don Miguel had always enjoyed roasting wood-fired coffee for personal consumption, but the idea of commercializing it came about unexpectedly.

“It was a curious thing. Our eldest daughter lived in Texas, and when my wife visited her, I sent along a bit of coffee. When she opened the package there, the neighbor, who is American, caught a whiff and said, ‘Why don’t you sell this coffee?’ That’s when we started considering it,” added the merchant and father of three.

That’s how they perfected their wood-fired roasting system, and on July 17, 2007, they sold their first bag of coffee at the Feria de Artesanía de Barranquitas (“Barranquitas Craft Fair”).

Once the coffee is roasted, Don Miguel, along with his two employees, spreads the beans on the cooling tray, allowing them to begin the most critical step of production. “You have to cool it quickly because it’s too hot and can turn into charcoal,” he warns about the process. Then, it rests for a minimum of two days to release carbon dioxide. That’s when they grind and package it, it’s all done from the La Torre sector.

“This coffee is gentle on the stomach, not acidic at all. You can have it before bedtime because it won’t keep you awake. This coffee is fantastic, really. I don’t recommend it because it’s mine, but because it’s good and not blended; it’s completely pure,” Don Miguel adds with enthusiasm.

La Torre Artisanal Coffee is available ground or as whole beans. It is available for purchase on their website at cafelatorre.com. For more information, visit their Facebook page or call 787-205-8536.