El Salvador Santa Ana Volcanic Region | Tianqu Farm Natural Process | Bourbon, Kenya Varieties SL28, SL34

El Salvador Santa Ana Volcanic Region | La Divina Farm Natural Process | Bourbon, Kenya SL28, SL34

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, yet coffee is the main crop across most of its territory, so its modest size is no reason to overlook it. Roughly 60% of Salvadoran coffee is Bourbon, including Orange Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, and Red Bourbon. Bourbon earned its worldwide reputation for outstanding cleanliness, a bright and sweet mouthfeel, and pronounced citrus aromatics. El Salvador is also the birthplace of the Pacas and Pacamara varieties. A classic Pacamara delivers a full body, tropical-fruit aroma, and honeyed sweetness, together with the brightness of citrus and a sweet golden-grapefruit finish. That is why it has become one of Central America's finest varieties in recent years, and why so many countries now produce excellent Pacamara.

Unlike the large estates found elsewhere in Central and South America, most Salvadoran farms are medium-sized. Their owners bring remarkable passion and technical skill to producing high-quality coffee, and that dedication has built a thriving export market. High-altitude specialty coffee here is harvested only once a year, between November and February. As a Western saying goes: in El Salvador, a single sip of coffee is enough to make you smile.

Santa Ana Volcano Region

The Santa Ana Volcano has emerged as one of El Salvador's premier coffee areas in recent years, for two main reasons: the variability of its microclimate, and the drainage and fertility of its volcanic gravel soil. La Divina Farm sits on the eastern slope of the volcano, where the owner, Roberto, farms organically under shade. Fertilizer comes mostly from forest leaves and fallen branches, keeping the farm lush and full of life. After introducing washed beans in November, the farm has now released a rare natural-process lot.

Natural Process Beans

Natural-process beans are spread directly on drying patios after harvest and left there until dry, then bagged for storage. Before shipping, the parchment membrane is rubbed off.

Property Characteristics

• Farm Name: La Divina Providencia
• Farmer: Roberto
• Region: Santa Ana Volcano
• Country: El Salvador
• Farm Size: Annual production of 20 bags
• Altitude: 1,650 - 1,750 meters
• Annual Precipitation: 2,500 - 2,700 mm
• Soil: Volcanic clay
• Type of Shade Trees: 48 species of shade trees

Coffee Characteristics

• Variety: Bourbon Elite and "Kenya" varieties
• Processing System: Natural (UN Wash)
• Appearance: 17-18 screen
• Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level: 60 seconds after first crack (Cinnamon)
• Aroma/Flavor: Pineapple, mango, banana, lavender, fermented fruit aroma, fruit ice cream, milk, chocolate, brown sugar
• Acidity: Red plum, yellow orange, red-wine acidity; low complexity, a smooth fruit-milk texture with low acidity, clear and deep
• Complexity & Other: Honey vanilla cake aroma, light red-wine acidity, high complexity, a slow-changing flavor profile, and a tropical-fruit sweetness of pineapple and banana that dominates the aftertaste
• Overall Style: Dreamy lavender aroma with a complex, evolving mouthfeel

Recommended Brewing Method

• Dripper: Hario V60
• Water Temperature: 90°C
• Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5
• Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, with 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water and bloom for 25s. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis

A three-stage pour makes it easy to tell the front, middle, and back-end flavors apart. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing the pour helps extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Natural (sun-dried) processing is the oldest way to prepare coffee and still the most widely used. Ripe cherries are dried whole, with the fruit left intact, so the finished beans carry a heavier body and richer ripe-fruit tones than washed lots. If this Salvadoran natural's winey, tropical character appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe natural Red Cherry is a kindred spirit: only fully ripe red cherries are selected and spread out on raised beds, kept off the ground away from insects, dust, and bacteria, and turned regularly so they dry evenly over 27-30 days. After a medium-light roast it keeps its elegant florals and bright acidity while adding pronounced tropical fruit, a full fermentation note, and plenty of sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee's Flower Queen, from the famed Hambella area of Guji Sidamo, is another natural benchmark. Exceptionally high altitude, fertile soil, and carefully selected ripe cherries yield, after a medium-light roast, a light fermented wine note along with florals, citrus, and mango, backed by honey sweetness, a cocoa undercurrent, a hint of spice, and a thick, lingering body. For a natural closer to home, the 2013 Yunnan Typica offers balanced sweet-tart fruit, dried apricot, brown sugar, and a delicate tea-like note.