How to Brew El Salvador Usulatan Estate Pacamara Coffee_Pour-Over Pacamara Coffee Brewing Tips

El Salvador Usulatan

Origin: El Salvador

Region: Usulatan

Variety: Pacamara

Altitude: 1350m

Processing: Honey Process

Flavor: Grape, Milk Chocolate, Silky

Harvest Season: March 2018

Since 1890, estate owner Gilberto Baraona has been growing coffee at the top of the volcano in Usulatan. He once invited people from Morgon Coffee Company to his home to roast coffee and conduct cupping.

The estate owner is also a multiple champion of El Salvador's Cup of Excellence (COE) competitions. The estate's volcanic soil and its wide day-night temperature swing cause the Pacamara variety to mature slowly, which builds richer flavor.

How to Brew El Salvador Coffee [Usulatan Estate Pacamara] Well?

FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over reference: weigh 15g of [Usulatan Estate Pacamara] coffee powder and grind medium. The particles should be slightly coarser than table salt. We use BG grinder setting 5R (standard sieve pass rate 60%), water temperature 89°C, and a V60 dripper.

Circle the hot water from the kettle clockwise around the center of the dripper, and start timing when brewing begins. Within 15 seconds, brew the coffee to 30g, then stop pouring. At 1 minute, pour a second time. As before, circle clockwise around the center of the dripper, keeping the stream away from where the coffee grounds meet the filter paper to avoid channeling.

Leave a gap at the outermost circle of the coffee grounds, then circle back toward the center. By 2 minutes and 20 seconds, the coffee should be brewed to 220g, completing the pour-over.

Japanese Ice Pour-Over [Usulatan Estate Pacamara]

FrontStreet Coffee's iced pour-over [Usulatan Estate Pacamara] reference:

El Salvador coffee [Usulatan Estate Pacamara], medium roast, BG grinder setting 5M (standard sieve pass rate 67%).

20g of coffee powder, 150g of ice, 150g of hot water. The water temperature should be 1°C higher than the normal pour-over recommendation of 90°C. For normal grinding, use the Fuji 3.5 setting; for iced pour-over, go half a step finer to Fuji 3.

Bloom with 40g of water for 30 seconds.

Segmented pouring: first segment with 60g of water, second segment with 40g of water. Use a relatively fine but high pouring stream and stir forcefully so the grounds roll fully. Be careful not to let the water level get too high or hit the filter paper at the edges.

The entire extraction time should be approximately 2.5 minutes, similar to the normal extraction time for 20g of coffee powder.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the honey-processed Pacamara appeals to you for its silky body and clean fruit, FrontStreet Panama Esmeralda Red Label Geisha is a worthy companion pour-over. It is known for exceptionally elegant jasmine, with delicate citrus, bergamot, and black tea notes. The cup is clean and transparent, with a long, layered finish.

For a juicier, more tropical cup, FrontStreet Ethiopia Natural Huakui brings strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, and lychee over very low bitterness, with a smooth, juicy body.

Both are best treated gently as pour-over; use a medium-fine grind and pour in stages so the delicate acidity stays bright.