Flavor and Characteristics of SHB Geisha Coffee Beans from El Manzano Farm in El Salvador? El Manzan

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Flavor and Characteristics of El Manzano Farm's SHB Geisha Coffee Beans

This strictly high-growing plantation (SHG) was established by Cornelio Lemus in 1872, located 16 kilometers southwest of Santa Ana city in Las Cruces in the western part of the country. It now belongs to Margarita Diaz Lopez, the great-granddaughter of the founder. The farm is home to the state-of-the-art Beneficio De Manzano, established in 2005 by CuatroM Single Origin Coffees. It was founded by Mr. Cornelio Lemus, the great-grandfather of Margarita Lucía Díaz de López, in 1872 and has remained in this family for five generations. In 2004, Margarita's son, Emilio Lopez Diaz, began overseeing and managing El Manzano. El Manzano was initially planted with Red Bourbon and underwent major transformation in recent years after rust attacked the farm. In 2012, Pacas and Pacamara varieties were introduced to the farm, followed by the Caturra variety in 2014 and SL-34 in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, renewal continued with the addition of yellow Catuaí and Ethiopian heirloom varieties, which will soon become part of El Manzano's varieties as well.

This plantation boasts rich, fertile volcanic soil and spans over 70 acres, also featuring a "Beneficio" for coffee processing. Temperatures range from 17-33°C from April to October, and 7-22°C from November to March.

Regarding varieties, the plantation was initially planted with 100% Typica. Due to its low productivity, it has been interplanted with Bourbon. Since 2004, new varieties have been replanted. 90% of the area is planted with Bourbon and other parts with Pacamara, Yellow Bourbon, Typica, and Kenyan varieties.

All milling is completed at the state-of-the-art facility Beneficio El Manzano, located within the farm. The facility has a capacity of approximately 600 tons of green export coffee, primarily consisting of high-end specialty coffee, with focus on natural, honey, and fully washed processes. The facility is also used by different institutions and entities for CQI to provide the newly launched Q-Processing courses; Pinhalense milling equipment manufacturer also tests and develops new equipment focusing on high-end coffee here.

Finca La Cumbre and Beneficio El Manzano are fully operated and managed by a completely vertically integrated coffee group called Cuatro M Cafes, which operates in El Salvador, the United States, and Brazil. These operations include brands such as Finca Ayutepeque, Fazenda Santana, Topeca Coffee, Odyssey Coffees, and others.

Farm Information

Producer Name: Margarita Lucía Díaz de López

Farm Name: El Manzano

Farm Altitude: 1300 - 1500 masl

City: Chalchuapa

Region: Santa Ana (Cordillera Apaneca - Ilamatepec)

Lot Altitude: 1300m

Lot Variety: Gesha

Planting Year: 2015

Soil Type: Volcanic

Slope Orientation: North-facing

Average Temperature: Low 11°C, High 25°C

Average Rainfall: 1,700-2,200 mm/year

Weed Control: Mechanical weed control only (no herbicides)

Wet Milling Process: Sun-dried after washing

Process: Natural (non-pulped)

Drying Process: Raised beds for 13 days

Harvest Months: December 2018 / February 2019

Farm Size: 89 hectares

Flavor Profile

Juicy sweet orange and orange acidity, with a slight lime texture in the middle, caramel and peanut notes, with plum and interesting rooibos herbal characters new to this season's harvest. Pacamara and Bourbon varieties, washed process. Finca El Manzano at altitudes of 1300 to 1550 meters. Beneficio is also located on the farm. Cuatro M is family-owned and operated by Emilio Lopez Diaz. Relationship coffee since 2008. El Manzano is located on the northern slope of the Santa Ana volcano.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Pour-Over Method:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds, first pour with 25g water for 25s pre-infusion, second pour to 120g water then pause, wait until the water level drops to half before continuing to pour, slowly pour until reaching 225g total water, extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and drains faster, pausing during pouring can extend the extraction time, better extracting the nutty and chocolate flavors from the back-end.

Flavor: Multi-layered, overall clean with a lighter mouthfeel, persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste, with a hint of bitterness.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473