What is the Flavor Profile of Bourbon Variety Coffee Beans from Finca Bella Vista Farm in El Salvador? How to Brew It?

El Salvador Bourbon Variety: Finca Bella Vista Coffee Farm Flavor Profile

How to Brew El Salvador Coffee Beans for the Best Taste?

Fernando Lima manages the Cuzcachapa Cooperative in Santa Ana town, at the foot of the Santa Ana mountain range. Fernando has spent many years representing his producers while managing his own farm, helping cooperative members develop their farms, improve crop quality, and bring their crops to market. Finca Bella Vista immediately stood out on the cupping table as a superbly balanced, sweet, round cup with subtle acidity, and with all the body needed to deliver the profile required for the "E1" product. It is located in the Santa Ana area.

Bella Vista sits between 1450 and 1750 meters above sea level and grows shade-grown Bourbon as its primary variety. One thing that struck us when visiting was the beauty and density of the canopy. The farm keeps about 85 acres of primary forest that has never been touched and is protected as natural forest.

Set in the heart of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec coffee-growing region, in the shadow of the Llamatepec volcano, the name "Bella Vista" comes from the beautiful views of Lake Coatepeque in the valley below. The average annual rainfall is 2300 millimeters, and we were very impressed with the quality of the cherries still on the trees in February, which is quite late for the season. The farm was also fortunate to avoid the massive destruction that Roya disease caused to many neighboring coffee farms, which gives us confidence in building a long-term partnership and working with this farm multiple times in the coming years.

The farm was founded in 1925 by Leon Leonardo Figueroa, who began buying small local parcels in the area, bit by bit assembling the land until it reached its current size of 250 manzanas, equivalent to 480 acres. Sadly, Jose Leonardo Figueroa passed away in 1991, and his son Jose Eduardo Figueroa Arbizu and Company has owned the farm since then. The farm is managed by Don Carlos Mancia, who took time to show us around.

Since 2009, Bella Vista has taken part in the Cup of Excellence competition, and in 2014 it placed 9th with an annual ranking of 26th. This year's results once again increased our confidence in the farm's long-term, consistent production quality. Bella Vista and we are excited to bring this coffee in as our first true direct trade. The same picking, the same variety, the same altitude, the same maturity, everything the same except the process. Processing the same coffee three different ways lets us taste and experience how much the process, not just the coffee, produces very different flavors and textures. Whether you buy all three processes and taste them side by side, or just try one, you are in for an incredible experience.

This particular coffee was processed using the washed method, just as wonderful as its two sisters, honey and natural. The coffee is picked from the highest part of the farm at 1480 masl. That altitude represents a unique microclimate with a variety of shade trees, tropical rainforest conditions, and irrigation from natural springs. The land is owned and managed by Maria Rodriguez, on the outskirts of Pico Pijol, which the Honduran government has declared a national park and forest reserve.

We have made every effort to align with national conservation efforts, adjusting the washing methods and waste management in the wet mill accordingly. Professional forest management and conservation methods are also used to protect the native trees and the more than 200 hardwood trees that shade the coffee crops. Maria is committed to social responsibility and supports a local community of about 60 families, each living on land donated by the farm, including the land for the community school. The site sits near the famous Parque Nacional Pico Pijol, close to the village of Tegucigalpita in Yoro state. Pico Pijol lies on the flank of Montana de la Flor, one of the main peaks of La Cordillera Central, at an altitude of 7550 feet (2300 meters).

El Salvador: Finca Bella Vista

Farm Details:

• Farm: Finca Bella Vista
• Mill: Cuzcachapa Cooperative
• Region: Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Santa Ana
• Altitude: 1450-1750 meters
• Producer: Figueroa Family
• Variety: Bourbon
• Process: fully washed then sun-dried

Flavor Profile:

• Medium Roast: orange, hints of toffee, vanilla, and rooibos
• Dark Roast: molasses, cocoa, and dates

Importer: Direct Trade

Recommended Brewing Method:

• Dripper: Hario V60
• Water Temperature: 90 degrees Celsius
• Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Technique:

Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee grounds. First infusion with 25g of water, then bloom for 25 seconds. Second infusion up to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly to a total of 225g. Extraction time should be around 2:00.

Analysis:

The three-stage method clearly separates the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Bella Vista's balanced, sweet Bourbon profile appeals to you, FrontStreet's lighter fruit-forward coffees make an interesting comparison. FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gutingding shows citrus, berry, and floral notes with a green-tea sweetness, and its acidity stays soft and bright rather than sharp.

FrontStreet Ethiopia Flower Queen leans toward tropical fruit, with strawberry, passion fruit, and jackfruit aromas over a sweet, low-bitterness body that drinks like juice. Kenya Cherry Tomato is the choice for vivid acidity, with cherry tomato and dark plum over a full body, its SL28 and SL34 varieties and 72-hour double-washed processing keeping the cup clean and pure.

For a deeper, forest-grown coffee, FrontStreet Kaffa Forest is grown between 1400 and 2100 meters under shade, giving white florals, lemon acidity, sweet orange, and bergamot with a green-tea body. Brew these in a V60 at 90 degrees Celsius with a 1:15 ratio and a medium-fine grind, or use a slightly coarser grind and 88 degrees Celsius for a rounder cup.