Honduras | Santa Barbara Department San Vicente Processing Plant Zacastumi Small Farmer Parainema Rare Variety

Honduras | Santa Barbara Region San Vicente Processing Plant Zacastumé Smallholder Parainema Rare Variety Flavor?

Honduras Zacastumé Smallholder Parainema, a rare variety. Honduras has 280,000 hectares of coffee plantations, predominantly worked by smallholders whose farms are mostly under 3.5 hectares. These small farmers account for 60% of the country's production. In the plantations, men and women alike hand-pick the coffee, which is then carefully processed and crafted to market demands to satisfy different palates. Honduras harvests three million bags of coffee annually, supplying the world with abundant, high-quality coffee. It is now the second largest coffee exporter in Central America and the tenth largest in the world. The coffee industry sustains the livelihoods of 100,000 families, creates one million jobs, and forms a permanent economic foundation for the country.

Parainema is a hybrid variety resistant to leaf rust and other pests and diseases. It was developed in 1981 through breeding experiments against coffee diseases, and is also known as Sarchimor T-5269. Actual cultivation began earliest in Costa Rica during 2006-2008. Honduras received it in 2010, when it was named Parainema. Parainema trees are small shrubs; depending on their genetic lineage, the leaf tips may be green, yellow, or a mix of both. The variety resists leaf rust and stands up to nematode infestation.

Honduran coffee is divided into six major producing regions, spread across the western and southern parts of the country: Santa Barbara, El Paraiso, Copan, La Paz, Comayagua, and Olancho. Average cultivation altitude is above 1,100 meters. Varieties are 100% Arabica, with 69% of production at HG grade, 12% at SHG, and 19% at CS. Main varieties include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Villa Sarchi, and Lempira. Quality is first-class, and prices are the most competitive among Central American countries. The beans are small, round, and slightly light blue-green in color; the cup is high in acidity with full body and a touch of sweetness, suited to both blends and single-origin brews.

Coffee Information

Region: Santa Barbara Region

Producer: San Vicente Processing Plant

Variety: Parainema

Altitude: 1,500 to 1,900 meters

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Description: Tomato, grape, watermelon, lime, delicate acidity with a smooth aftertaste

Of Honduras' 18 provinces, 15 are engaged in coffee production - coffee is unambiguously an important economic crop and foreign-exchange earner for the country. It has created over 1 million job opportunities and supports countless families. On Honduran farms, everyone hand-picks regardless of gender, and the harvest is carefully processed to meet market demands. Honduras is also one of the world's important emerging specialty origins, with excellent quality: 100% Arabica varieties, of which 69% fall under HG grade, 19% under CS, and 12% under SHG. Beyond producing great coffee, the country actively supports and invests in exports of organic and Rainforest Alliance certified beans - quality that is not only first-class but also the most competitively priced in Central America!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90 degrees

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15 with 15g of coffee. First pour: 25g of water for a 25-second pre-infusion. Second pour up to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then pour slowly up to 225g. Total extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: The three-stage pour clearly separates the coffee's front, middle, and back-end flavors. Because the V60's many ribs drain water quickly, the pauses during pouring help extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this rare Parainema lot sparks your interest in approachable specialty coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's entry-level lineup is a great place to start. For a fruit-forward washed cup, the Washed Guodingding Cooperative from Yirgacheffe offers jasmine fragrance, lemon acidity, and berry tones after a medium-light roast. For something juicier, the Natural Sidamo Huakui (Flower Queen) is sun-dried in the traditional style and shows berry, floral, jackfruit, melon, and honey notes.

Prefer a smooth, low-acid daily bean? FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling undergoes three rounds of hand sorting plus one machine pass, driving the defect rate to a minimum - the result is an exceptionally clean, silky cup with clear woody and caramel notes, ideal for those who dislike acidity.