Honduras Sherry Coffee Beans Flavor Profile & Highlights Which Honduras Coffee Variety is Best?

The Influence of Coffee Processing Methods on Flavor

When it comes to coffee, FrontStreet Coffee believes that beyond variety, origin, and cultivation methods, there's another important process that influences coffee flavor—the green coffee bean processing method. Different processing methods will bring out different flavors in coffee beans. With more and more coffee bean processing methods emerging, FrontStreet Coffee's complete bean list basically includes all current mainstream processing methods. You can completely find single-origin coffees that suit your taste and place orders on FrontStreet Coffee's Taobao store or FrontStreet Coffee's Tmall flagship store.

The barrel fermentation processing method for coffee beans is a new processing method that has only emerged in recent years. Barrel-fermented coffee beans will bring unprecedented flavor experiences. The current development direction of the coffee market is gradually moving toward innovation in processing methods, and barrel processing is also顺应ing this trend. In the future, FrontStreet Coffee will continue to explore distinctive coffee beans for evaluation, providing everyone with objective data references.

Barrel Fermentation Principle

The inspiration for coffee barrel fermentation comes from wine fermentation technology. During the coffee fermentation process, the barrel allows a small amount of air to pass through the barrel wall, permeating into the barrel to cause moderate oxidation of the coffee beans. The appropriate amount of oxygen entering also accelerates coffee fermentation, smooths tannins, and simultaneously allows fresh fruit aromas to gradually develop into rich and varied mature wine aromas. The moderate hardness of the barrel ensures good waterproofness and storage safety. Additionally, the barrel contains a certain amount of tannins. When green coffee beans are stored during the process, the barrel's tannins will also permeate into the green beans inside, giving the coffee layered qualities and a rich wine aroma. Some time ago, FrontStreet Coffee obtained a batch of Honduras Sherry whiskey barrel-processed beans. When opening the green bean bag, FrontStreet Coffee could smell strong vanilla cream and wine aromas.

Honduras Coffee

Honduras is located in northern Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea to the north, the Pacific Gulf of Fonseca to the south, sharing borders with Nicaragua and El Salvador to the east and south, and connecting with Guatemala to the west, consisting mostly of mountains and plateaus. Honduras has 280,000 hectares of coffee plantations, mainly small coffee plantations, most of which are smaller than 3.5 hectares. These coffee plantations account for sixty percent of all Honduras coffee production.

Honduras mainly has 6 coffee producing regions: Copán, El Paraíso, Comayagua, Opalaca, Montecillos, and Agalta. The average growing altitude is 1000-1600m, and the main cultivated varieties include Bourbon, Caturra, Typica, Catuai, and Pacas. However, Mocca Estate is not located among these 6 coffee regions but comes from Masaguara, a municipality located in the Intibucá department of Honduras, situated in the southern part of the Jesús de Otoro valley, surrounded by mountains and hills. It is mainly dedicated to coffee growers and is the main engine of the local economy. The areas corresponding to the valley are dedicated to growing basic grains and livestock. The origin of its name: According to Mr. Alberto Membreno's "Indigenous Place Names," Masaguara means "place of deer."

Coffee Varieties (Caturra, Catuai, Pacas)

Caturra is a natural variety of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Its plant is not as tall as Bourbon, being more compact. Since it inherits Bourbon lineage, its disease resistance is relatively weak, but its yield is higher than Bourbon. Although discovered in Brazil, Caturra is not suitable for growth in Brazil, so it was not cultivated on a large scale there, but became widely popular in Central and South America, such as Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.

Catuai is a coffee variety artificially hybridized from Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai has relatively good resistance to natural disasters, especially wind and rain resistance. The Catuai tree is relatively short, and compared to other coffee trees, Catuai fruits grow more firmly and are not easy to pick. The fruits come in both red and yellow varieties.

Pacas is a natural variety of Bourbon. Like other widely planted low-Bourbon varieties, Pacas is a single-gene mutation. Its main advantages are that the coffee tree is small in size, has relatively high yield potential, and can be intercropped with other fruits and plants, thereby increasing coffee cherry production. This variety was discovered in 1949 on a farm belonging to the Pacas family in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador. In 1960, the Salvadoran Coffee Research Institute (ISIC) began a pedigree selection project for Pacas (selection of individual plants through successive generations, also known as single-plant selection). It is relatively popular in Central America and widely grown in El Salvador, accounting for about 25% of its production. In 1974, the Honduras Coffee Research Institute introduced this variety and cultivated it in Honduras.

FrontStreet Coffee has selected two Honduras barrel-fermented coffee beans for comparison to taste their flavors.

Coffee Bean Processing Method Comparison

Both of these FrontStreet Coffee coffee beans undergo refined washed processing before barrel fermentation treatment. The difference is that FrontStreet Coffee's Sherry coffee beans are placed in whiskey oak barrels that have been aged with Sherry wine for low-temperature fermentation for 30-40 days (temperature approximately 15-20°C), while FrontStreet Coffee's Lychee Lan coffee beans are placed in brandy barrels for fermentation treatment. Finally, they undergo shade drying until the moisture content reaches about 11%.

Coffee Bean Roasting

When FrontStreet Coffee receives these barrel-fermented types of coffee beans, they are still green beans, and FrontStreet Coffee will proceed with roasting treatment. The roasting process requires attention because Honduras-produced coffee has traditionally had rich sweetness and moderate mouthfeel but lacked attractive entrance aroma. Processing plants developed the barrel fermentation method to increase aroma. Therefore, to better express the characteristics of this bean, FrontStreet Coffee chose light roasting as the direction. At the same time, to obtain better flavor expression, FrontStreet Coffee roasted two curves for comparison. This is the necessary path FrontStreet Coffee takes with every new coffee bean received. Roasting not only tests the roaster's understanding of the bean's origin but also requires cupping and pour-over tasting sessions to determine whether the roasting curve is appropriate. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee often encounters situations where a single cup of coffee requires multiple evaluations. Although time-consuming, FrontStreet Coffee believes this is necessary. Without repeated trial processes, FrontStreet Coffee will not easily put a coffee bean on the shelves.

Next, taking this Honduras Sherry coffee bean as an example, FrontStreet Coffee will show you how to analyze different roasting curves.

Sherry Coffee Beans

[Curve One]
Bean entry temperature: 190°C, Yellowing point: 5'45'', 151.8°C, First crack: 9'07'', 184.2°C, 2'10'' development after first crack, discharged at 195°C.

Cupping flavors: Vanilla, honey, citrus, cream, wine aftertaste, smooth mouthfeel, rich flavors, overall balance.

[Curve Two]
Bean entry temperature: 190°C, Yellowing point: 5'30'', 150.8°C, First crack: 8'38'', 184.3°C, 1'40'' development after first crack, discharged at 196°C.

Cupping flavors: Vanilla, cream, syrup, chocolate, fermented wine aroma, rich fragrance, thick mouthfeel, obvious sweetness, but astringency appears as temperature drops.

After the cupping session, FrontStreet Coffee also uses pour-over to taste the flavors of both curves. FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over parameters are: Hario V60 dripper, 90°C water temperature, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, fine sugar grind size (80% pass rate through China standard 20 mesh sieve). The grind size varies for each coffee bean due to factors like variety, altitude, processing method, roasting, etc. Therefore, when FrontStreet Coffee gets a newly roasted bean, FrontStreet Coffee will first sieve it to determine the appropriate pour-over grind.

FrontStreet Coffee uses segmented extraction pour-over method, which is the three-stage water pouring method. Pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 125g in a circular motion for the second stage, and when the water level drops to just above the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g. Total time is 2 minutes (including bloom).

Pour-over flavors:

[Curve One]
Entrance has vanilla and cream aromas, citrus and berry acidity, with almond and dark chocolate flavors in the middle, maple sweetness in the finish, and vanilla aftertaste. Distinct flavors, smooth mouthfeel.

[Curve Two]
Entrance has rich vanilla cream aroma, with gentle citrus acidity in the middle, white grapefruit flavor in the finish, syrup sweetness, and slightly bitter aftertaste. Thick mouthfeel but with slight astringency, slightly less clean.

FrontStreet Coffee compared the two curves. Although [Curve Two] performed better in aroma, mouthfeel, and sweetness, with a syrup-like sensation at entrance, it had slightly less cleanliness and some astringency, with a rather bitter aftertaste. Additionally, the flavors were relatively单一, making it feel somewhat dull when drinking. In contrast, although [Curve One] was slightly weaker in aroma and sweetness compared to [Curve Two], it had distinct flavors, smooth mouthfeel, and good vanilla and cream aromas from entrance to aftertaste. Moreover, the flavors remained relatively stable from hot to cold temperatures, without any off-flavors appearing. Finally, FrontStreet Coffee determined Curve Two as the roasting curve for this batch of Sherry coffee beans—note this batch of coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee will evaluate each new batch through the above processes. Considering that each batch will have differences, the parameters used for the previous batch may not be applicable to the next batch.

Lychee Lan Coffee Beans

The other is also a barrel-fermented coffee bean from the same estate—Lychee Lan. Lychee Lan and Sherry both have rich wine aromas, but after comparison, FrontStreet Coffee found that Lychee Lan appears somewhat lighter and fresher, while also possessing chocolate and honey-like sweetness. The entrance has a lychee-like clean sweetness, fragrant and sweet without losing clarity, mixed with brandy wine aroma, with persistent sweetness in the latter part. The beans processed through brandy barrel fermentation have soft lychee and honey sweetness, while also integrating full-bodied brandy wine aroma and oak barrel fragrance.

Roasting Recommendations

To better highlight the flavors of this bean and achieve overall balance, FrontStreet Coffee's roaster chose light roasting. Bean entry temperature: 220°C, Yellowing point: 5'50", 152.6°C, First crack: 9'15", 183°C, 2'10" development after first crack, discharged at 195°C.

Pour-over coffee flavors:
Entrance has lychee, brandy, dark chocolate, and cream. As the temperature changes, the wine flavor and dark chocolate become prominent, with a rich mouthfeel and obvious sweetness in the aftertaste.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473