Honduras Coffee Regions | Six Major Coffee Growing Regions in Honduras? Main Varieties and Flavor Characteristics

Perhaps you're not very familiar with Honduran coffee, but if I mention Sherry coffee, you might be quite familiar with it. Honduran coffee isn't as famous as Ethiopian coffee, and there aren't as many single-origin varieties, but its coffee flavor is unique and very enjoyable!

The special characteristic of Honduran coffee lies in its processing method—the barrel aging process. When you first taste this coffee, you'll notice a wine-like aroma. For friends who enjoy drinking, this will be very familiar—the flavors of whiskey and brandy, with hints of fruit fragrance and cream aroma. The taste is very fragrant and sweet, with the wine flavor lingering in your mouth. Simply delicious!

Honduras's geographical conditions are no less favorable than its neighboring coffee-producing countries such as Guatemala and Nicaragua. However, due to the lack of strong support in green bean processing and transportation, Honduras had lower visibility in the consumer market previously. In recent years, Honduras has begun to actively change, with increased attention to the coffee industry helping Honduran coffee gradually gain international recognition.

Honduran Geography and Climate

Honduras is the most mountainous country in Central America, with over three-quarters of its territory consisting of mountains and plateaus. Located in northern Central America, Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea to the north, the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific Ocean to the south, Nicaragua and El Salvador to the east and south, and Guatemala to the west. The area is 112,492 square kilometers with a coastline of about 1,033 kilometers. Except for the coastal plains, the entire territory is mountainous, with the highest elevation in the northwest reaching 3,000 meters and the south also reaching over 2,400 meters. Honduras is situated in the coffee growing zone with an average annual temperature of 23°C and abundant rainfall, with annual precipitation between 1,300 and 2,300 millimeters.

The main rivers in the country include the Coco River, Patuca River, and Ulua River. Rivers originating from the inland mountains crisscross and flow into both oceans. Between the various mountain ranges, many basins and valleys have formed, with larger basins including Celia and Repaguala, and main river valleys including Comayagua and Hamastlán. The coastal islands are scattered like stars, with the main islands being the Bay Islands and the Tigre Islands in the Gulf of Fonseca. Honduras has complex terrain and diverse climates. The coastal plains of Central America have a tropical rainforest climate with an average annual temperature of 31°C. The mountainous areas have a subtropical forest climate with an average annual temperature of 23°C. The rainy season from June to November has mild temperatures and abundant rainfall, making it an ideal place for coffee cultivation.

Honduran Coffee Production

Honduras produces two very high-quality coffees that are highly regarded by coffee enthusiasts. One is "Highland Coffee" grown at elevations of 1,000-1,500 meters, and the other is "Selected Highland Coffee" grown at elevations of 1,500-2,000 meters, representing Honduras's highest grade. Most Honduran coffee is exported to the United States and Germany.

Honduras has 280,000 hectares of coffee plantations, mostly small coffee farms, with most coffee plantations being smaller than 3.5 hectares. These coffee plantations account for sixty percent of Honduras's total coffee production. In the coffee plantations, because the growing areas are in mountainous regions, people hand-pick coffee beans and then carefully process them to produce higher-quality coffee beans. Honduras harvests three million bags of coffee annually, providing abundant and high-quality coffee to the market, and has now become one of the world's top ten coffee exporting countries.

Honduran Coffee Regions

Honduran coffee can be divided into six major regions, mainly located in the western and southern Copán, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, Agalta Tropical, and El Paraíso regions. The average elevation for specialty coffee growing areas is above 1,100 meters. In these regions, 69% of the coffee grown is HG grade, 12% is SHG, and 19% is CS.

Copán Region:

Located between Copán, Ocotepeque, and Lempira regions, it exhibits strong chocolate flavor with honey and caramel sweetness as its characteristics, with relatively light fruit flavors. Growing elevation: 1,000-1,500 meters. Harvest season: November to March.

Opalaca Region:

Located between Santa Bárbara, Intibucá, and Lempira regions, it has very delicate acidity with overall balanced performance. The taste features tropical fruits like grapes and mulberries, with a sweet and sour aftertaste, showing strong lemon flavor balanced with honey and caramel sweetness, with distinct fruit flavors. Growing elevation: 1,100-1,400 meters. Harvest season: November to March.

Montecillos Region:

Located between La Paz, Comayagua, Santa Bárbara, and Intibucá regions, it is full of rich fruit and sweet aromas, paired with lemon and floral notes. Lemon and fruit aromas are its important characteristics, especially peaches and oranges. The acidity is lively and bright, with a velvety texture and persistent aftertaste. Growing elevation: 1,200-1,600 meters. Harvest season: December to April.

Comayagua Region:

Located between Comayagua and Francisco Morazán regions, it is mainly characterized by lemon flavor, with obvious sweet fruit aroma. The taste is more creamy and rich, while also having citrus sweetness and emitting sweet and chocolate aromas. Growing elevation: 1,000-1,500 meters. Harvest season: December to March.

Agalta Tropical Region:

This region spans parts of Olancho, El Paraíso, and Francisco Morazán provinces, mainly in the eastern provinces. It is the most dispersed region, composed of fourteen protected areas to increase plant diversity and balance the ecosystem, with high ecotourism value. It has honey fragrance and aroma, with strong citrus flavor and subtle yet distinct acidity, and a pleasant aftertaste. Growing elevation: 1,200-1,500 meters.

El Paraíso Region:

Elevation: 1,100-1,400 meters, mainly characterized by gentle fruit acidity, caramel aroma, and balanced taste.

Other small regions include:

• Santa Bárbara
• Ocotepeque
• Lempira
• La Paz

In the western region, the recently established "Honduras Western Coffee" association, abbreviated as HWC, is worth watching for its development. The coffee produced and labeled by Honduras Western Coffee (HWC) is the first geographical indication (PGI) protected by the Honduran government, and is also registered as Honduras's property rights (IP) and brand (MC).

Sherry coffee and Lychee Orchid coffee come from a small estate in Masaguara, Honduras—Moca Estate. Masaguara is 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 cultivation, which is the main driver of the local economy. The areas corresponding to the valley are dedicated to growing basic grains and livestock. The origin of the region's name: according to Mr. Alberto Membreño's "Indigenous Place Names," Masaguara means "place of deer." The average elevation of this area is 853 meters, with high-altitude areas reaching over 1,500 meters. Moca Estate is located in the highest elevation area of Masaguara, so the quality of coffee fruit produced here is never poor.

Honduran Coffee Varieties

The coffee varieties grown in Honduras are mostly Arabica, mainly the common Central American varieties Catuaí and Caturra. Caturra is a natural variant of Bourbon, and Catuaí is a hybrid of Caturra and Mundo Novo. These two varieties are very suitable for cultivation in Central America and have good acidity and flavor.

Pacas is also one of the main varieties grown in Honduras, discovered in El Salvador as a natural variant of Bourbon. Like Caturra, Pacas has a more compact plant form and higher yield than Bourbon.

Caturra:

Originating from Brazil, it is a variant of Bourbon. Caturra belongs to the dwarf and compact coffee varieties, making it more convenient for harvesting and care. The branches and main stem also present at a 45-degree angle. The leaves are rounder and quite glossy! The fruit shape is quite similar to Bourbon but has higher yield per plant, while the harvest period is later, and the main stem is more resistant to wind!

Catuai:

Also originating from Brazil. It is a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra.

Maracatu:

A hybrid of Maragogype and Caturra, with larger bean size.

Honduran Coffee Barrel Aging Process

FrontStreet Coffee's two Honduran coffee beans both come from Moca Estate, both are barrel-fermented processed beans, but with different barrel fermentation. Sherry coffee uses whiskey barrel fermentation processing, while Lychee Orchid coffee uses brandy barrel fermentation processing. Barrel fermentation processing method: After Moca Estate harvests ripe coffee cherries, they process them on the same day. The coffee cherries are pulped and then washed. Then the parchment coffee beans are placed in Sherry whiskey barrels for low-temperature fermentation for 30 to 40 days. Finally, the parchment coffee beans are taken out and spread in a cool place for drying. The final drying step must not be exposed to direct sunlight, because the heat from direct sunlight can evaporate the wine aroma that the coffee beans have worked hard to absorb, while also causing undesirable fermentation acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee's Honduran Brewing Parameters:

To highlight the wine aroma and fruit flavor of Honduran coffee, FrontStreet Coffee uses medium-light roast. When brewing, you can use a V60 dripper, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, medium grind (approximately coarse sugar size / China #20 standard sieve 80% pass rate), and 91°C water temperature.

Using segmented extraction, bloom with 2 times the coffee weight in water, that is, 30g of water for 30 seconds. The reason for the blooming process is to allow the coffee grounds to release internal carbon dioxide, making the later extraction more stable. With a small water flow in a circular motion, pour water to 125g in segments, then continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water in the dripper has finished dripping, remove the dripper. Start timing from the beginning of pouring, extraction time is 2'00". Then pick up the entire cup of coffee and shake it evenly before pouring into cups for tasting.

FrontStreet Coffee's Flavor Characteristics:

FrontStreet Coffee's Sherry Coffee Flavor Characteristics: Smells of vanilla and cream aroma, with whiskey, berry, almond, and dark chocolate flavors on entry, and a maple syrup aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee's Lychee Orchid Coffee Flavor Characteristics: Cream, dark chocolate, honey, lychee, brandy, with a relatively thick mouthfeel and obvious sweetness. As the temperature changes, the wine flavor becomes more apparent when sipping.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Suggestions:

For coffee brewing, FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that the freshness of coffee beans has a great relationship with the flavor of coffee. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee ships coffee beans that are roasted within 5 days. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring that every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when they receive it. The coffee resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it is at its optimal flavor.

For friends who need ground coffee, FrontStreet Coffee warmly reminds you: if coffee beans are ground in advance, there's no need for a resting period, because during transportation, the pressure from carbon dioxide produced in the package can also make the coffee flavor more rounded, so you can brew a cup immediately upon receiving the ground coffee. However, ground coffee needs to be brewed promptly, because coffee grounds oxidize relatively quickly after contact with air, meaning the coffee flavor will dissipate more quickly, and the coffee flavor won't be as good. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests purchasing whole beans and grinding them fresh before brewing to better taste the coffee's flavor.

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