Introduction to El Salvador's Finca El Aguila Estate - El Salvador Coffee Guide

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Finca El Águila Estate: A Legacy of Excellence

Finca El Águila is currently operated by Mauricio Ariz, whose family has been cultivating coffee for four generations. The estate is located in Cantón Ojo de Agua, part of the Chalchuapa district in Santa Ana province. The entire estate spans 64 hectares, with coffee cultivation covering approximately 47 hectares.

High Altitude Cultivation

Finca El Águila is situated at high elevation, with Bourbon varieties planted at around 1,700 meters. The photograph shows abundant fruit on the Bourbon trees against a beautiful blue sky. Some cherry fruits are just beginning to turn red, with harvesting expected to approach late April. The estate experiences significant temperature drops between morning and evening, with common slow-moving clouds and mist.

Cultivation Details and Varieties

According to the estate owner, the 47 hectares of coffee forest include 38 hectares of Bourbon varieties, 1 hectare each of Pacas and Kenya varieties, and 7 hectares of Pacamara. Finca El Águila has high average elevation ranging from 1,500 to 1,720 meters. The soil consists of sandy loam and sandy clay loam. The annual temperature ranges from 18°C to 24°C, with annual rainfall of 2,250 millimeters and two to three flowering periods.

Sustainable Management Practices

Finca El Águila's specific cultivation and maintenance practices deserve recognition. The following seven points represent the estate's meticulous management approach:

1. Careful maintenance and management, with 35 large shade trees including Inga species and Copalchi planted per hectare.
2. Soil analysis conducted twice annually to determine fertilization content and composition (50 per Manzana).
3. Manual weeding and pruning.
4. Manual pest prevention and constant monitoring for potential fungal diseases.
5. Due to high altitude, abundant rainfall, and steep terrain, the estate uses pruned branches and tree plants for "erosion control" to reduce and prevent soil erosion.
6. During flowering and fruit development, close monitoring of growth conditions and manual harvesting based on optimal cherry ripeness.
7. Immediate processing after harvesting on the same day.

Resilience After Natural Disaster

In 2005, the Santa Ana volcano erupted, causing significant damage to Finca El Águila. The estate suffered from volcanic ash and acid rain damage, leading to the replanting of 8,500 coffee trees. Local coffee farmers hold mixed feelings of respect and fear toward Santa Ana - a conical stratovolcano whose 2005 eruption terrified many people. Falling rocks, some larger than vehicles, caused casualties among mountain residents and severely damaged coffee plantations in the affected areas, including Finca El Águila.

After the disaster, the estate actively cleaned the soil and replaced coffee trees. Five years later, they achieved abundant recovery, with annual harvests gradually returning to 800 bags. Although the volcano brought destruction, it also created the excellent terrain and climate that benefit the region.

The Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range

Santa Ana volcano is an important symbol of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range. This mountain range name should be pronounced according to local indigenous pronunciation to be both accurate and melodious.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests the following brewing parameters:

• Pour-over: V60 dripper, grind at Fuji R440 setting 3.5, water temperature around 90°C
• French Press: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C
• Siphon: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C-91°C
• AeroPress: Recommended grind setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

Important Notice :

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