Coffee culture

What are the flavor differences of Pacamara coffee beans from different regions? What variety is Pacamara?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style). In recent years, Pacamara, an emerging delicious variety that has gradually gained prominence in international cupping competitions, is actually a hybrid variety cultivated in El Salvador in 1958. It

In recent years, Pacamara, an emerging delicious variety that has gradually gained prominence in international cupping competitions, was actually cultivated in El Salvador in 1958. This hybrid variety inherits the large size and rich acidity of Maragogype beans, as well as the aroma and sweetness of the Pacas variety (a Bourbon mutation), thus producing an outstanding variety with unique flavors, excellent acidity, delightful sweetness, and robust size.

In 1958, the Salvadoran Coffee Research Institute conducted numerous hybridizations between different varieties to obtain better hybrid variants. One experimental variant showed particularly outstanding results - a new variety derived from the fourth generation of crossing the Pacas variety (a Bourbon mutation from El Salvador) with the Maragogipe variety. After evaluation and selection, this new variety was named using the first four letters of each of its "parents' names," thus becoming Pacamara.

Physical Characteristics of Pacamara Coffee Beans

Pacamara plants are medium to tall in height with short internodal spacing. They feature large, corrugated, dark green leaves, with new leaves appearing in green or brown colors. The trunk is hard and robust, with thick branches. Compared to Typica, Pacamara has more lateral branches, similar to Pacas. The cherries have a small protrusion at the calyx disk. The coffee beans are large, oval-shaped, approximately 1.03 cm in length, 0.71 cm in width, and 0.37 cm in thickness.

Depending on the altitude, Pacamara beans are about 70% the size of Maragogipe beans.

Overall, almost all Pacamara beans are sized above 17 screen, with over 90% measuring above 18 screen.

Flavor Profiles of Pacamara Coffee in Different Growing Regions

Guatemala (Pacamara): Caramel, honey, vanilla, floral, peach, hazelnut, jasmine

Nicaragua (Pacamara): Chocolate, caramel, orange, maple syrup, honey, raspberry, cinnamon, apricot

El Salvador (Pacamara): Orange, vanilla, lemon, chocolate, apricot, lemonade, lime, floral

Pacamara 27

What to Expect from Pacamara

Although this variety shares common characteristics with other coffee varieties grown at altitudes of 1100-1200 meters, some features are enhanced: the aroma is more intense, the floral flavors are better, and it's believed that higher altitudes would make these even more prominent. Cleanliness is also enhanced, with grassy and unclean flavors disappearing.

Floral aroma and flavor are the most prominent characteristics of Pacamara. It also presents other notes such as chocolate and fruit flavors (apricot, peach, berries, green apples, etc.). The aftertaste is very long and persistent, with nutty and spicy notes, typically featuring cinnamon with a creamy, heavy body.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

The ribs of the V60 dripper are distributed in curved patterns from top to bottom, varying in length. During brewing, this allows for smooth exhaust and relatively fast flow rates. Therefore, when using a V60 dripper, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using segmented extraction to slow down the water flow and increase extraction efficiency, which can help reduce under-extraction caused by fast flow rates.

IMG_v60水流4151

Parameters: Grind size - fine sugar (58% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve), 15g coffee dose, water temperature 90°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15

Technique: Use 27g of water for bloom for 30 seconds. Pour to 128g for segmented extraction. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 227g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time (starting from bloom) is 1 minute and 50 seconds.

Pouring coffee into cup

Flavor: The aroma presents fresh fruity acidity. The initial taste reveals notes of green grapes, lemon, and grapefruit acidity. The mid-section develops nutty and biscuit aromas, while the finish shows green tea characteristics. The aftertaste features macadamia and creamy notes, creating a rich and layered flavor profile.

Important Notice :

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