Coffee culture

Introduction to El Salvador Coffee Grading System - The Highland Spirit of El Salvador's Coffee Regions

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange for more coffee bean information please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) FrontStreet Coffee - El Salvador coffee grades and producing regions. At the midpoint of the North and South American continents lies a coffee country with volcanoes, sea, lakes, and pristine forests, with breathtakingly beautiful scenery. The local coffee bean cultivation industry is well-developed, continuously sending high-quality coffee to the world.
El Salvador coffee landscape

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - El Salvador Coffee Grades and Growing Regions

At the midpoint between the North and South American continents lies a coffee paradise with volcanoes, oceans, lakes, and pristine forests - a landscape of breathtaking beauty. The local coffee cultivation industry thrives, continuously exporting premium coffee beans to the world. Let's explore this renowned coffee nation - El Salvador.

El Salvador's specialty coffee is concentrated in the western Santa Ana region and the northwestern Chalatenango volcanic rock growing area. In recent years, nearly all top ten cupping competition winners have come from these two regions. With elevations ranging from approximately 900-1500 meters, the coffee varieties are predominantly Bourbon (68%), followed by Pacas (29%), while hybrid varieties like Pacamara, Duare, and Catura comprise only 3%. The coffee harvest season extends from November through March of the following year, with all coffee cherries being harvested by hand.

Salvadoran coffee is a Central American specialty known for its light body, aroma, purity, and subtle acidity. Like Guatemalan and Costa Rican coffees, Salvadoran coffee is graded by altitude - the higher the altitude, the better the coffee. The premier brand is Pipil, the Aztec-Mayan name for coffee, which has received certification from the Organic Certified Institute of America.

Another rare coffee variety is Pacamara, a hybrid of Pacas and Maragogype coffee. The best production area for this coffee is located in western El Salvador, adjacent to Santa Ana near the Guatemalan border. Pacamara coffee beans are full and plump, though their aroma is not particularly strong.

El Salvador's coffee grading standards are based on growing altitude, with the highest grade being SHG:

SHG: Strictly High Grown - 1200 meters and above

HG: High Grown - 900 meters and above

CS: Central Standard - 600 meters and above

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