Introduction to El Salvador Himalaya Estate - El Salvador Coffee Overview

Introducing Himalaya Estate

Himalaya Estate sits in the Ataco region of western El Salvador at 1,500 meters above sea level. The Mauricio family, which owns the estate, has been growing coffee since as early as 1875, and in 2015 it won three Cup of Excellence awards — one of them for production from Himalaya Estate itself. Mauricio's full-throated commitment to coffee was passed down from his parents and grandparents, who devoted themselves to growing specialty coffee in western El Salvador.

The Pacamara Variety

Pacamara is a hybrid of Maragogype (the "elephant bean," itself a Typica mutation) and the Bourbon variety Pacas. The beans are enormous, with a full-bodied flavor marked by bright stone-fruit acidity and spicy notes.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests the following brewing parameters:

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

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the French press route appeals to you, a few technique pointers go a long way. Because it's a full-immersion brewer, the French press suits medium to dark roasts best — long steeping on a light roast pulls out excessive acidity and buries the delicate florals. Grind coarse, like coarse sugar (EK43s at setting 10.5, or 26 clicks on a hand grinder), at a 1:15 ratio (15g of coffee to 225g of water), steep for about 4 minutes with water just off the boil around 90°C, then press slowly and pour gently.

For a low-acid, full-bodied black coffee, FrontStreet's PWN Golden Mandheling is the standout choice: triple hand-sorted plus one machine pass make the beans uniform and bright, and the medium-dark roast delivers rich spice, caramel, cedar, and dark chocolate aromas with a thick, satisfying body and good oils in the press.

For a fragrant, floral take, try the Strawberry Candy Gesha blend — a custom marriage of Costa Rican honey process and Panamanian washed Gesha. Steeped in a French press it releases rose, citrus, grape, and dried blueberry aromas, and with milk it takes on the scent of strawberry soft candy.