Introduction to the Advantages of Washed Coffee Beans: Flavor Profile of Washed El Salvador Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to El Salvador Montes El Corozo Coffee

Coffee cherries harvested from the trees do not ripen all at once. Workers pour the cherries into a large pool of water. Unripe cherries, being less dense, float on the surface, while ripe cherries sink to the bottom. Workers remove and discard the unripe cherries, while the rest move on to the next stage.

The ripe cherries are carried by a flow of water into a machine designed to remove their outer skin. The machine also scrapes away most of the pulp, but a thin layer of mucilage stays stuck to the parchment of the raw beans. Washed coffee follows the principle of "making no mistakes," removing any factor that might affect the coffee's flavor in its infancy. At this stage, for example, the influence of the fruit pulp on flavor is almost entirely eliminated, ensuring the "cleanliness" of washed coffee. The beans, now stripped of their outer layer, flow with the water into channels toward their next destination.

At this point the beans, with a little mucilage still on their surface, flow along with the already sticky water into another large pool. Because mucilage is so adhesive, the peeling machine cannot simply scrape it off and a stronger force is needed. Either the beans go into fermentation tanks to rest and ferment, using bacteria to break down the mucilage, or stronger mechanical means brush all the mucilage from the surface of the raw beans.

Taking fermentation first: coffee farmers pour these mushy beans into fermentation tanks, then add an equal mass of clean water and let them sit for 8 to 40 hours. The exact time depends on temperature and humidity, cost, growing region, habits, and even mood. For this step alone, the most famous modified version is undoubtedly the two-stage washed fermentation used in most producing regions of Kenya. Where general fermentation is done in one go, Kenyans first place the coffee in fermentation tanks for 24-36 hours, then remove it, rinse once with clean water to wash away some organic matter from the surface, and put it back into fermentation tanks for another 24-36 hours before removing and cleaning it again.

Washed coffee is considered "high-grade" because it removes almost every factor that could negatively affect the coffee. Washing not only preserves the coffee's original flavor but also enhances its "brightness," which is acidity, along with special fruity aromas.

Finca Montes El Corozo

El Salvador Montes El Corozo Estate

Estate Information

Estate: Montes El Corozo

Altitude: 1800-1950M

Variety: Kenya SL28

Processing Method: Washed

Grade: SHB

Harvest Year: 2019

Brewing Recommendations

Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over

Dripper: V60

Water Temperature: 88-90°C

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: BG 5R (Chinese standard 20 mesh sieve pass rate 58%), which is a medium-fine grind

Brewing Technique: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 33g of water for 30 seconds. When adding water in a small circular motion to 125g, perform a segmentation. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 228g, then stop. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of blooming.) Extraction time is 1'56".

Flavor Profile

Aroma: Berry fragrance

Taste: Citrus, berries, lemon, with a faint herbal note in the finish

Aftertaste: Nutty and creamy aroma

Overall mouthfeel: Relatively clean and bright

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This estate grows Kenya SL28, so if that bright, juicy, washed profile is what you enjoy, FrontStreet's Kenya Cherry Tomato is a direct match. It is a Kenyan specialty washed bean grown in the Sika region at 1,550-1,750 meters, using the classic SL28 and SL34 varieties. It goes through Kenya's signature 72-hour double washed fermentation to draw out the fruit while keeping the cup clean, then sees a light roast to preserve the lively acidity and layered fruit. Expect cherry tomato, smoked plum, snow pear, black plum, and brown sugar, bright and balanced.

For a softer, nuttier counterpart to this El Salvador lot's creamy aftertaste, FrontStreet's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 is a good choice. Grown in the certified Blue Mountain range and roasted medium-dark, it brings hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel in a pure, balanced cup, with no single note dominating.