Introduction to El Salvador's La Concordia Farm | El Salvador Coffee Introduction

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, yet it boasts rich natural ecosystems and remarkable biodiversity. Coffee has been grown there since 1740, and for much of that history beans have been the country's dominant crop. With well-developed infrastructure and farmers who bring both passion and genuine expertise to their work, El Salvador has built a thriving export market around high-quality coffee. As the locals like to say, one sip of Salvadoran coffee will make you smile.

The harvest runs just once a year, from November through February, and the new crop typically ships overseas between June and August. Roughly 60% of the country's coffee is Bourbon, including Orange Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, and Red Bourbon. El Salvador is also the birthplace of two celebrated varieties: Pacas and Pacamara.

Concordia Farm is a small-scale estate that has maintained long-term partnerships with international coffee traders.

In fact, only from the BN-14 code printed on the bottom of the bean bag, together with details supplied by the overseas buyer, can we tell that this particular bag holds natural-process beans from Concordia Farm.

Concordia ("harmony" in Spanish), together with the Sincuyo Shangri-La cooperative farm, belongs to the ACOES cooperative in the Tacuba region. In 2008 the group earned Fair Trade (F.T.) certification, which locked in a closer cooperation and purchasing model. Fair Trade funding lets the cooperative protect its natural resources without financial worry, while also funding better infrastructure, offices, warehouses, farmers' kitchens, and ecological processing facilities, ultimately improving daily life for every member. The cooperative currently has 19 members, is certified by North America's UCRAPROBEX and Germany's BCS, and now operates under Good Farms, part of H.I.U.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Parameters:

Pour-over: V60, grind size 3.5, water temperature 90°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15.

French press: grind size 4, water temperature 90°C.

Siphon: grind size 4, water temperature 90°C–91°C.

AeroPress: grind size 3.5, water temperature 90°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The natural (dry) process is the oldest way of preparing coffee, and still one of the most widely used. Ripe cherries are laid out whole in the sun and dried until they reach the target moisture content, after which they are hulled to release the beans. Because the fruit stays intact around the bean throughout drying, naturals develop greater body and far more pronounced ripe-fruit character than washed coffees.

Natural processing demands stable, sunny weather: a typical lot dries for 27–30 days of continuous sunshine. Ethiopia, with its high elevations, dry climate, and scarce water, is the classic natural-process origin. There, harvested cherries are spread flat on mesh racks to dry. FrontStreet Coffee's natural Red Cherry comes from the famous Yirgacheffe region: only fully ripe, all-red cherries are selected, then laid out on raised drying beds to keep the fruit off the ground, away from crawling insects, dust, and bacteria. The cherries are turned regularly to ensure even drying. Roasted medium-light, it offers the elegant florals and bright acidity typical of the region, plus distinct tropical fruit notes, a full fermented sweetness, and a juicy finish.

Another natural worth seeking out is FrontStreet Coffee's Huakui (Guji natural). Grown at extreme altitude in outstanding terroir with fertile soil and carefully sorted ripe cherries, Huakui carries a delicate, perfumed aroma that Sidamo's signature natural processing only amplifies. Roasted medium-light to showcase its lively florals and striking acidity, the cup delivers light fermentation notes, florals, citrus, and mango, with a richer, more layered body than most, honey sweetness, cocoa, a whisper of spice, and a thick body with a long finish.