Honey Process Coffee | El Salvador Coffee —马拉卡拉C农场 What Coffee Beans to Use for Pour-Over Coffee

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In addition to the coffee introduced in this article, FrontStreet Coffee recommends coffee beans suitable for pour-over: Costa Rica Black Honey & Nicaragua Black Honey.

El Salvador Coffee Overview

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. Most regions primarily grow coffee beans, but don't overlook it due to its small size. In El Salvador, 60% of coffee is Bourbon varietal, including orange, pink, and red Bourbon. Bourbon varietal is known to the world for its excellent cleanliness, bright and sweet口感, and strong citrus aroma. Notably, El Salvador is the birthplace of Pacas and Pacamara coffee tree varietals. Typical Pacamara has excellent body with tropical fruit fragrance and honey-like taste, plus citrus brightness and a sweet aftertaste of golden grapefruit acidity transforming into sweetness, making it one of the best varieties in Central America in recent years. Many countries have also successfully cultivated excellent Pacamara coffee beans.

Coffee Harvest and Quality

Coffee beans are harvested only once a year, between November and February of the following year. Therefore, newly harvested coffee typically reaches foreign coffee buyers between June and August. Compared to coffee farms in other Central and South American countries, most farms in El Salvador are medium-sized. Farmers possess immense passion and professional skills to produce high-quality coffee cherries, which has led to a thriving coffee export market and consequently maintained and improved coffee bean quality. As Salvadorans say, you'll smile after just one sip of coffee.

H.I.Q (High Quality) Coffee Program

H.I.Q (High Quality) represents high-quality coffee beans, promoted and executed by H.I.U Company founded by Panamanian Graciano Cruz. U stands for smile. Currently, H.I.U Company has cooperative partners in El Salvador, Panama, and Ethiopia. H.I.U Company seeks micro, special, high-quality farms with unique varieties, processing methods, and climates, then educates farmers to meet H.I.Q coffee bean production standards, including measuring sugar content of green coffee beans and maintaining friendly organic environments for the land. They also assist their farms in constructing updated processing equipment to ensure the entire process meets H.I.Q high-quality organic standards.

Malacara C Farm - Rising Star in Honey Processing

The emerging honey-processed Malacara C farm was founded in 1888. Currently, José Guillermo Alvarez Prunera and his sister María de los Angeles Alvarez de Murray, who manage the farm, are fourth-generation coffee growers. In the early twentieth century, MALACARA produced the best coffee in El Salvador. Today, five farms provide 20 permanent jobs, which can expand to 100 people during harvest season. The farm community has a school, a clinic, and some sports facilities available for employees to use free of charge. Due to excellent quality, limited production, and strict control, MALACARA was the winner of the second Cup of Excellence® Presidential Award in El Salvador. The coffee is exported to the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands.

Farm Characteristics

Farm Name: Malacara C

Farmer: Francisco Arturo Alvarez Meza

Grade: S.H.B

Awards: Winner of the Second El Salvador Cup of Excellence Presidential Award

City: Apaneca-Ilamatepec

Region: Volcan Santa Ana, Santa Ana

Country: El Salvador

Farm Size: 47.6 Hectares

Coffee Growing Area: 45.5 Hectares

Altitude: 1,400 meters

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Bourbon

Processing System: Honey Process

Flowering Period: June - August

Harvest Period: November to February (once a year)

Aroma/Flavor: Olive, grass, drupe, hazelnut, nuts, almond, caramel, chocolate, longan, grape, vanilla, honey

Acidity: Smooth, gentle, delicate, silky, sweet citrus, mild low acidity, high consistency

Complexity and Other Characteristics: Very sweet, persistent aftertaste, high complexity, coexistence of floral and fruit aromas, very obvious acidity transforming to sweetness

Overall Evaluation

El Salvador honey-processed Malacara Estate C Farm coffee is a rare coffee bean with delicate, ultra-long sweet aftertaste. Compared to Panama honey-processed coffee—one with bright and strong aroma and taste—Malacara Estate C Farm is a coffee with delicate and persistent aroma and taste. Both are honey-processed coffees but present different characteristics in detail and aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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