How is the Honduras El Guayabo Estate COE Washed Coffee?

A profile of the Honduran estate that has made Cup of Excellence judges sit up and take notice — and how to get the most out of its beans at home.

Honduras El Guayabo Estate - COE Washed Beans

Estate: El Guayabo

Region: Santa Barbara

Variety: Pacas

Altitude: 1650m

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Description: Orange, black grape, raspberry, blueberry. The berry notes are complex yet clearly defined, and they hold steady from the first hot sip to the last cool one — like drinking a rich, multifaceted mixed fruit juice.

These beans come from high-altitude, high-quality stock in the Santa Barbara region. Depending on the roast degree, this Pacas can reveal distinctly different layers of flavor, making it a rare find: fragrant, with beautifully balanced sweetness and acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Method

Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over

Dripper: V60

Grind Size: Medium-fine

Water Temperature: 90±1°C

Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds

Staged pour: Pour to 120g, pause, then pour slowly to 225g

In short: 30-120-225g

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Since this lot shines brightest through a V60, it is worth understanding why that dripper suits it so well. The V60's signature 60° cone and single large outlet let flow rate depend almost entirely on the brewer's pour control, extending the contact between water and coffee and pulling out exceptionally layered aromatics and lively acidity — ideal for a washed Pacas bursting with berry fruit.

If you enjoy brewing with a V60, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Guodingding is another superb match: bright citrus, berry, and floral notes with a green-tea-like sweetness, its gentle yet vivid acidity making it a favorite first step into specialty pour-over. On the deeper side, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 — brewed with a Kono dripper, 15 g of coffee, a sugar-like medium-coarse grind, 87-88°C water, and a 1:15 ratio — shows just how balanced and sweet a classic cup can be when the brew method is matched to the bean.