Honduran Coffee Estate Single Origin Beans: Flavor Characteristics, Growing Regions, and Brewing Parameters

Honduran Single Origin Coffee: Flavor Characteristics, Growing Regions, and Brewing Parameters

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In Honduras, coffee growing regions are divided into six major regions, distributed across the western and southern areas: Santa Barbara, El Paraiso, Copan, La Paz, Comayagua, and Olancho. The average growing altitude is above 1,100 meters. The coffee varieties are Arabica species, with 69% classified as HG "High Grown" coffee, 12% as SHG "Strictly High Grown" coffee, and 19% as CS. Main varieties include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Villa Sarchi, and Lempira.

Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) is coffee produced from Arabica coffee Bourbon cultivar trees. Bourbon coffee was originally cultivated on Réunion Island, which was called Bourbon Island (Île Bourbon) before 1789. It was later occupied by France and connected to the African continent and Latin America. It is now one of the two most popular Arabica coffee production regions globally. Bourbon coffee is typically grown at altitudes of 3,500 to 6,500 feet (1,062–1,972 meters).

Hand-poured Honduran coffee: 15g of coffee, medium grind (small Fuji ghost tooth blade #4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water, bloom for 27 seconds. Continue pouring to 105g, then stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Discard the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15. Extraction time 2:00.

In 2011, Direct Coffee introduced Finca Santa Marta from the Ocotepeque region, the champion estate of the 2006 C.O.E coffee competition, making it one of Honduras' premier coffee-producing farms.

Property Characteristics

Farm Name: Finca Santa Marta

City: Tegucigalpita, Yoro

Region: Ocotepeque

Country: Honduras

Altitude: 1,250-1,480 meters

Farm Size: 59 hectares

Coffee Growing Area: 3-5 hectares

Annual Precipitation: 1,300 mm

Soil: Clay loam, sandy loam

Annual Production: 400 bags of green coffee beans

Certification: Organic

Shade Trees: Guama, Liquidambar, Oak, Cedar, Guajiniquel, and Musaceae

Water Source: Natural water sources from the Santa Marta Farm

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Catuai

Processing System: Washed and dried on patios

Flowering Period: September – October

Harvest Period: Handpicked from January through March

Appearance: Screen 18

Awards: 2006 Cup of Excellence, 1st place

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level is 60 seconds after first crack begins (Cinnamon roast)

Aroma/Flavor: Peanut, nuts, almond, licorice, hazelnut, jasmine, starfruit, kumquat, honey, sugarcane, brown sugar, malt, milk fragrance

Acidity: Very fresh, clean, low acidity, citrus, berries, mint, low complexity, smooth acidity

Complexity and Other: Well-balanced, medium-long aftertaste, smooth oily mouthfeel, very sweet finish, silky smooth without impurities

Direct Coffee Cupping Scores and Overall Evaluation

Cupping Date: 2011.03.05

Dry Aroma: 9

Wet Aroma: 8

Clean: 9

Brightness: 9

Mouthfeel: 7

Balance: 9

Complexity: 7

Sweetness: 9

Acidity: 7

Aftertaste: 8

Cupping Score: 82

Overall Evaluation: Since winning first place in the 2006 coffee competition, Honduras Finca Santa Marta has begun cooperating with international coffee buyers, allowing the coffee beans to maintain excellent quality. For those who enjoy the lively peanut-nut aroma after grinding and the jasmine tea sensation when the coffee cools, its mild, crisp, and delicious profile makes it a fine Honduran estate with few drawbacks.

Honduras San Vicente Processing Plant - Pacas + IH90 Variety, Washed

Region: Santa Barbara Province, Pena Blanca town

Processing Plant: Beneficio San Vicente

Variety: Pacas + IH90 (one of the new varieties developed by the Honduras Coffee Association)

Grade: SHG

Altitude: 1,300-1,500 meters

Certification: N/A

Flavor Characteristics: Almond, cedar, dark chocolate, dark fruits, plum, caramel, rich mouthfeel

Introduction

Coffee cultivation began in Honduras in 1804, and now there are 280,000 hectares of coffee plantations, predominantly operated by small-scale coffee farmers whose plantation areas are mostly less than 3.5 hectares. These small farmers account for 60% of Honduras' coffee production. In 2011, Honduras' coffee production surpassed Guatemala, becoming the world's second-largest exporter of washed Arabica beans in 2012, second only to Brazil. It is now ranked seventh globally in production volume.

Unlike banana plantations owned by large American corporate oligopolies, 92% of Honduran coffee farmers are small-scale individuals. Coffee-related workers account for 12.5% of the total population of eight million, making coffee an extremely important agricultural crop in Honduras. In the coffee plantations, farmers harvest red cherries, process them using washed fermentation methods, and grade them according to market demands to satisfy consumers' different flavor preferences.

Honduras harvests three million bags of coffee annually, supplying high-quality coffee with unique flavors. With both abundant quantity and excellent quality, it has become the largest coffee-producing country in Central America and one of the world's top ten coffee-exporting nations. The Honduran coffee industry involves the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families nationwide and provides one million job opportunities, making it an important economic agricultural sector for Honduras.

Honduras' major coffee-growing regions are distributed across the western and southern areas, including six major regions: Copan, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, Agalta, and El Paraiso. The average growing altitude is above sea level meters. The coffee varieties are 100% Arabica species, with 69% classified as HG grade, 12% as SHG, and 19% as CS. Main coffee varieties planted include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Villa Sarchi, and Lempira.

Honduran coffee has consistently maintained high quality, and its prices are also the most competitive among Central American countries. The beans are small, round, and slightly bluish-green, belonging to the mild fruit acid category with full-bodied, slightly sweet flavor. They are suitable both as blended coffee or single-origin coffee, and are suitable for medium to dark roasting. They are mainly exported to the United States, Germany, and Japan.

Honduras is already the largest coffee-producing country in Central America, with production continuously increasing in recent years. In 2012, due to favorable international coffee prices, that year's coffee production exceeded 5 million bags from 2010, with a significant increase in production volume and continuously improving quality.

The largest coffee-producing region in Honduras is the Santa Barbara area, located in western Honduras, northwest of Lake Yojoa. This region has developed into a famous coffee-producing area in Honduras over the past few years. Additionally, this region produced a famous agronomist, Mr. Angel Arturo Paz, who owns a processing plant - San Vicente - in the town of Peña Blanca, Santa Barbara Province, north of western Lake Yojoa. He has been a consistent winner in Honduras' COE (Cup of Excellence) competitions.

The San Vicente processing plant purchases coffee cherries produced by small farmers from surrounding towns such as El Cielito, Las Flores, and El Cedral (each of these places has at least 35 families and a school). Although the quantities are often too small to independently process these small farmers' batches separately, the coffee from these regions has consistently impressed with high sweetness and fruity notes.

San Vicente is a family-owned processing plant with a strong local reputation. Through projects assisting farmers in improving cultivation techniques and production equipment, it is dedicated to close relationships with producers and rigorously controls each batch through coffee cupping.

This batch from San Vicente Processing Plant with Rainforest Certification SHG is the result of the processing plant combining coffee from surrounding small farmers for joint production and marketing. Because each small farmer has an average planting area of only 1-2 hectares, the quantity of green coffee beans produced cannot be sold individually; they can only be combined for batch marketing, somewhat like a production cooperative or coffee production and marketing group.

This batch from San Vicente (Edgardo Tinoco) is produced by small farmer collectives from nearby villages. Generally, small farmers have very small planting areas and cannot process and sell green beans independently; they can only sell to processing plants for consolidated quantity sales.

Flavor Characteristics: Almond, cedar, dark chocolate, dark fruits, plum, caramel, rich mouthfeel

Rainforest Certification

Finca La Lesquinada

Region: Aldea Cerro Negro, Copan, Honduras

Altitude: 1650m

Processing Method: Natural process

Roast Level: Medium roast

World Cupping Champion Flavor Description: Hazelnut, pine, apricot

Honduras has never ranked among the top contenders in the specialty coffee market, but Honduras has natural environmental advantages - soil quality, altitude, climate conditions are all excellent. Neighboring countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua also have advanced coffee production. What Honduras lacks is infrastructure and insufficient reputation in consumer markets.

The country is better known for commercial beans rather than specialty beans, so even with excellent quality, they cannot fetch good prices. Many beans from the Copan and Santa Barbara regions are mixed and sold as Guatemalan beans at Guatemalan prices. Furthermore, they have long been unaware of their own potential for growing specialty coffee beans.

The main problem is that coffee cherries receive only minimal processing and are sold to processing plants while still wet, often causing the cherries to mold and deteriorate before proper drying reduces moisture content to 12%. Such cherries passing through drying become defective beans due to improper drying treatment. Without corresponding price rewards for good quality, coffee farmers, processing plants, and exporters lack incentive and motivation to increase costs to develop coffee cultivation potential, leading to Honduran coffee beans being recognized as mild blended beans rather than single-origin or estate-specific beans - a vicious cycle.

But now things are different. With assistance from USAID, Fintrac, and several cooperatives like La Central, they vigorously promote and educate Honduran farmers to produce good coffee, properly process it to maximize the final coffee flavor, and with Fair Trade funding for processing equipment and increasing farmers' professional knowledge, Honduran coffee is gradually emerging from its低谷, becoming a rising Central American coffee in recent years.

Brewing Method

Recommended water temperature 88-92°C, grind setting 4 (Tiamo 700s grinder HG0421), 20g of coffee powder:

(1) Pour 50g of water for pre-infusion for 30 seconds

(2) Continue pouring until total reaches 300g, steep for 1 minute 20 seconds until drawdown

(3) Remove the dripper at 2 minutes to complete

Like other coffee-producing countries, Honduras is very diverse, and I cannot cover all of it with one statement. The largest region is Santa Barbara, with other regions including Copan, Ocotepeque, Lempira, La Paz, and El Paraiso in the south. Growing altitudes range from 1,500-2,000 meters, mainly growing SHG beans. Generally, the Honduran coffees we've recently cupped have lower acidity and higher sweetness with distinct caramel notes, making them an excellent choice for espresso blending.

Honduras

Population: 8,250,000

Although not described by HCAFE as a coffee-growing region, many roasters label coffee from the Santa Barbara region of Honduras. Several coffee-growing areas cross into Santa Barbara (a government administrative division of a country). Some might say it needs its own description, but the more appropriate approach seems to be listing growing regions according to official principles. There are also some excellent Pacas variety batches from the Santa Barbara region that, under good quality conditions, possess a unique and fruity flavor that is absolutely worth pursuing.

COPAN

The Copan region is located in the city of Copan in western Honduras, with the most famous being the local Mayan ruins. This area borders Guatemala, and such regions remind me to value the actual origin of coffee rather than the producing country. Actually, dividing by country is somewhat arbitrary because consumers have difficulty distinguishing whether coffee beans come from Honduras or Guatemala (unfortunately). The Copan region is located north of the Santa Barbara coffee zone.

Altitude: 1,000-1,500m

Harvest: November – March

Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai

OPALACA

The Opalaca region is located in the southern area of Santa Barbara, as well as Intibuca and Lempira. It is named after the Opalaca mountain range that extends through the region.

Altitude: 1,100-1,500m

Harvest: November – February

Varieties: Bourbon, Catuai, Typica

Honduras - 2006 C.O.E Champion Estate - Finca Santa Marta

El Matazano Estate, located between La Paz and Macala, is owned by Francisco Antonio Castillo David. Francisco began coffee cultivation in 1995, cooperating with 4 families in cultivation and post-processing matters. In recent years, fierce leaf rust disease has reduced production by 50%, and everyone can only work harder on disease prevention and stricter quality control.

This year, El Matazano maintained its excellent tradition by winning Cup of Excellence recognition. Francisco stated that the competition level of Honduran entries is quite high, making it difficult to enter the international judging stage and win awards. Thanks to the close cooperation of the 4 family members, we were able to win again!

Au Café purchased the same batch from the competition, with only 15 bags available. We promised Francisco that as long as the same quality level is maintained, we are willing to purchase long-term!

Basic Information:

Estate: El Matazano Estate

Owner: Francisco Antonio Castillo David

Estate Area: 3 hectares

Cultivated Varieties: Catuai

Altitude: 1500-1600 meters

Region: El Matazano, Tutule, La Paz, Honduras

Annual Production: 80 bags

Harvest Period: April 2015

Processing Method: Washed, dried on greenhouse racks in the final stage

Batch Label: Au Café Direct Relationship Coffee

Quantity: 15 bags

Cupping Flavor: Honey, caramel sweetness, bright acidity with sweet sensation, blackcurrant, pomelo, herbal vanilla, chocolate, stone fruits

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Qian Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Contact: 020-38364473
Ingredients: House-roasted
Shelf Life: 30 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste: Mellow coffee beans
Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Honduras
Coffee Type: Other
Roast Degree: Medium roast

Honduras San Juancito Lot#1

Country: Honduras

Region: San Juancito

Altitude: 1450-1550 meters

Processing Method: Washed

Because Honduras is located in a tropical region, San Juancito experiences relatively small temperature variations throughout the year. Therefore, what is called winter is actually the rainy season, while what is called summer is actually the dry season. In tropical regions, altitude's effect on temperature is greater than the timing of precipitation throughout the year. San Juancito's geographical location at 1,239 meters above sea level makes the temperature feel slightly cool throughout the year. In summer (March-June), the highest temperature is often around 26°C, while the lowest temperature averages about 18°C. Winter's average highest temperature is 20°C, with the lowest around 14°C.

San Juancito's modern economy largely depends on agriculture, mostly small-scale coffee production, with climate and altitude highly favorable for producing high-quality coffee beans. COMISAJUL, a cooperative organization of hundreds of small coffee growers in central Honduras, is located in San Juancito. COMISAJUL is a cooperative organized by several hundred coffee farmers in the San Juancito region, where coffee is grown on mountains at altitudes of 1,450-1,550 meters, shaded by banana, avocado, and papaya trees. During harvest season, farmers hand-pick ripe fruits, process them using washed methods, then sun-dry them. The fermented water containing coffee pulp and skin from washing is collected and used as fertilizer for coffee trees. This coffee has a very clean taste, high sweetness, very gentle acidity, and milk chocolate flavor.

Variety: Bourbon

Processor: COMISAJUL Cooperative Organization

San Juancito is a small village in central Honduras, located 40 kilometers northeast of the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa. The town is under the jurisdiction of Francisco Morazán, which also includes Nuevo Rosario, Guacamaya, and Plan Grande, with a total population of approximately 1,400.

Although San Juancito was historically famous for mineral deposits, it is now highlighted for its location within the buffer zone of La Tigra National Park - a rainforest ecosystem and also Honduras' first national park. The park serves as a massive reservoir, providing drinking water for 500,000 residents of the capital.

Flavor: Clean, roasted nuts, milk chocolate

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473