cacao gourmet
manapiare fino
Evaluation 3.7
SWEET FRUITY 1.2
CITRUS FRUITY 3.1
FLORAL 2.0
CREOLE 0.0
COCOA 3.5
WOODSY 2.1
SPICES 0.0
ANNUAL PRODUCTION (MT) 12
MAIN HARVEST DEC-FEB
MID HARVEST MAR-APR
CREOLE BEANS 12%
FERMENTED BEANS 85%
VIOLET BEANS 10%
SLATE BEANS 5%
TOTAL 100%
Beans / 100g: 81
g./1 Bean: 1.23 g
CERTIFIED NO
AWARDS NO
Physical and Organoleptic Characteristics
Positive Flavors
Sweet Fruity Fresh Fruits
Citrus Fruity 
Floral Wild Flowers
Creole 
Cocoa Cocoa
Woodsy Bark • Fresh Wood
Spices 
Evaluation
A = Aroma:
STRONG Essence of grass and wood
F = Flavor:
MEDIUM Presence of fruity flavors
F = Fermentation:
MEDIUM Moderate astringency and bitterness
Cut Analysis
Among the attributes that compose this exquisite bean, possibly due to the mix of plantations with Creole genetics and hybrid cocoas, we obtain the following results: (±12%) in Creole beans, (±85%) in fermented beans, (±10%) in violet beans, and (±5%) in slate beans.
In terms of weight, it contains 81 almonds, corresponding to a weight of 100 g; in other words, each almond weighs 1.23 g.
Flavor Map
"Herbal and vegetal notes like bark and fresh wood intensify the floral attribute of this material. Similarly, the acidic flavor shows moderate intensity and interestingly intertwines with the fresh fruit attribute."detailed by Ms. Gladys Ramos, Engineer.
Sensory Map
"Shows notes of a hybrid cocoa with flavors of fresh wood, bark, and wild flowers combined with forest aromas, perfumed notes, and sensations of warmth and acholado"stated by Ms. Gladys Ramos, Engineer.
Post-Harvest Benefit
Fermentation Protocol
Manapiare beans have a high percentage of Trinitario genetics and medium Creole descent, undergoing the following fermentation process:
Cocoa Type
Trinitario
Fermentation Days
9 days
-
Crate Type: Wood
-
Turning Frequency: Every 24 hours
-
Fermentation Method: Fermentation takes place in wooden crates.
Drying Protocol
Cocoa Type
Dry Trinitario
Drying Days
8 to 9 days
Drying Techniques
-
Floor type: cement/concrete
-
Humidity: 7%
-
Drying method: sun-dried
Drying begins early in the morning, spreading the grains on the cement patios, stirring frequently to achieve uniform drying.
Traceability
certifications and awards
Amazonas has a population of 178,670 inhabitants, of which 45% are or identify as indigenous.
The most representative sector is the Piaroa community, located in San Juan de Manapiare, where the Indigenous and Cacao Producers Association (APIPROCA) is located.
The communities of this mystical town lead an austere lifestyle, living in palm and mud houses, as well as in some block houses.
Its residents work as a family unit; Among them is the Rodríguez family, made up of Mr. Pastor Rodríguez, along with his daughter Susana, accompanied by Silvino Rodríguez and Marcos García, who are in charge of (APIPROCA); the association was established fourteen years ago and is made up of 14 producers, who put all their effort and dedication into the preservation of the distinguished bean.
24 productive hectares remain active, with the stupendous work of the Piaroa culture to provide the best bean, as they harmoniously produce 10,000 kg of cocoa annually during two harvest seasons, the main one in the months between October and November (7,000 kg) and the mid-season between December and January (3,000 kg).
Their day begins at 7:00 am, where they clean and prunes until finishing at 5:00 pm (generally, the harvest takes place between the months of November and December) once the process is complete, they move to the conuco and dedicate themselves to other activities.
Once the cacao is harvested, they dedicate themselves to other activities such as producing chili peppers, varieties of yuca, corn, oranges, mañongo (a fruit they eat in the morning to endure the day's work), yareke liquor, and cassava. In addition, they make curiaras with sassafras-type wood, the latter used as their primary means of transportation.
"The harvesting process has a very particular characteristic; a tour is made of the surrounding communities (collecting the cobs), from which the nearest town is a 40-minute drive by curiara. Once the fruit is gathered, it is transported to the center for the post-harvest processing process. Approximately 5,000 kg are transported from Manapiare to Puerto Ayacucho along the Ventuari River, spending the night in each community for 7 days," explained Mr. Pastor Rodríguez, a member of APIPROCA and in charge of the collection.
Finally, the product is transported by truck from Puerto Ayacucho to Caracas.
Geographical Location and Ecology
Geographical Location
- Country: Venezuela
- State: Amazonas
- Municipality: Manapiare
- Area: 178.95 km²
- GPS Coordinates: Manapiare: 5º04´28"N 65º32´40"W
- GPS Coordinates: Amazonas: 03º30´N 66º00"W
- Inhabitants: 178,670
Amazonas State is located in the Venezuelan Guayana region, with Puerto Ayacucho as its capital. It covers 178,095 km², bordering Bolívar State to the north, Brazil to the south and east, and Colombia to the west.
The village of San Juan de Manapiare is situated in a jungle area along the Manapiare and Ventuari rivers, south of the Guanay Mountain Range and east of Morrocoy Hill.
Ecology
The predominant vegetation is tropical humid forest with 2-4 vertical vegetative strata. Valley soils of reddish alluvial deposits support native agricultural production.
Natural rainfall provides irrigation. The fauna includes titi monkeys, spider monkeys, Amazonian squirrels, white-lipped peccaries, giant otters, and armadillos. Notable birds include nocturnal curassows, umbrella birds, and macaws.
Reptilian species feature black caimans, Amazonian parrot snakes, and tree frogs. The ecosystem sustains both indigenous subsistence and biodiversity conservation.
History
During the years 1990 and 1996, all types of pure cacao were harvested in the Amazon, beginning with the planting of pure criollo cacao, where, according to the qualities of the Amazonian soil and climate, the hybrid Chuao and Ocumare cacao predominated.
San Juan de Manapiare was founded in 1940 by the explorer Don Melicio Pérez.
The enigmatic land of the Amazon preserves its unfading energy and way of life since the aboriginal people arrived on their ancestral lands. Its inhabitants maintain relatively indigenous cultural forms, such as: dispersed and semi-nomadic settlements, a simple system in which traditional elements are still notable. There are also transculturalized villages, which are those that have migrated to the banks of the Ventuari and Manapiare rivers. They have an economy of subsistence and their indigenous religion.
They also maintain pieces of their material culture, conical-elliptical community houses with palm roofs that reach the ground, blowguns with arrows moistened with curare, plant paintings, motorboats, and oars.
Years later, when the Spanish Jesuits discovered cacao-rich soil in this valuable territory, they decided to propagate and promote the cultivation, from the wild to a technologically advanced form; a fact confirmed by the testimonies of cacao producers in the Marañón River Valley when they describe the process from planting to transplanting, fertilizing, and caring for the plantations.