Nicaragua Specialty Coffee Nueva Segovia Region Hope Estate Mango Brew Flavor Performance

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Nicaraguan coffee beans are considered one of the more niche coffee beans. In the specialty coffee market, Nicaragua's presence is particularly inconspicuous. Nicaraguan coffee beans have stable quality, large beans with unique almond flavor, and have gradually gained attention in the specialty coffee industry in recent years. FrontStreet Coffee has acquired a batch of coffee beans from La Esperanza estate in the Nueva Segovia region of Nicaragua. Let's see how this batch performs through cupping and brewing.

Nicaragua La Esperanza - Big Mango

Region: Nicaragua, Nueva Segovia

Estate: La Esperanza

Altitude: 1450-1700m

Variety: Catuai

Processing Method: Natural Process

Coffee Growing Region

Nicaragua has a uniquely advantageous environment, located in central Central America, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The north-central region is highland, while the eastern part is coastal plains, belonging to the Central American volcanic belt. The eastern plains have high temperatures and abundant rainfall, featuring a tropical maritime climate. Fertile volcanic soil is widespread throughout, combined with sheltered cultivation methods, providing an excellent growing environment for coffee.

The three coffee-growing regions in northern Nicaragua near Honduras - Nueva Segovia, Jinotega, and Matagalpa - have altitudes ranging from 700-1700m. Coffee beans grown here have stable quality, large beans with unique Nicaraguan regional flavor. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Nicaraguan regional flavor is relatively low-profile, with chocolate and caramel sweetness, prominent almond flavor, and lower acidity.

The Nueva Segovia region is a collective term for the three major coffee-producing provinces in northern Nicaragua: Madriz, Esteli, and Nueva Segovia. Nicaraguan coffee farmers are accustomed to sending coffee beans produced in the Manz and Estel regions to the Nueva Segovia coffee processing plant for treatment, exporting them under the name of Las Segovias region. Coffee from Nueva Segovia has high acidity, low body, medium sweetness, with black chocolate and creamy texture, as well as flavors of cocoa, peach, raisins, and cherries. The acidity of coffee from this region is similar to mulberry.

La Esperanza Estate

La Esperanza estate is located in the Dipilto-Jalapa mountain range in northern Nueva Segovia, situated east of Finca El Divino, at an altitude of 1600-1700m. A total of 16 acres of coffee are planted, and the cloud-covered microclimate is excellent.

Coffee Varieties

Catuai comes from the Guaraní word "multo mom," meaning "very good." There are yellow Catuai and red Catuai varieties. The Catuai variety was hybridized in 1949 from yellow Caturra and Mundo Novo varieties, initially named H-2077.

This variety is widely loved for its high yield, disease resistance, and clean, bright flavor. Compared to the Bourbon variety, Catuai has a very high yield, partly because the plants are smaller, allowing shorter spacing between plants. The planting density of Catuai is almost twice that of Bourbon.

Coffee Bean Processing Method

In natural processing, coffee cherries sent to the washing station are first separated by hand to remove less dense defective coffee cherries. Qualified coffee cherries are then spread evenly on raised drying beds for sun drying, which takes about 21 days. The coffee cherries are dried to a moisture content of around 12%. During sun drying, Bilioya staff will inspect and remove over-fermented and mold-infected coffee cherries, ensuring this coffee has a clean and elegant flavor. After completing the sun drying process, a hulling machine removes the coffee cherry's skin, pulp, and parchment, then it's packaged and stored.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

New season beans have higher moisture content, so we will: extend the dehydration time to ensure even heating between the bean surface and core. To express the sweetness, acidity, and tropical fruit aroma of this bean, FrontStreet Coffee's roaster used a medium-light roast level.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Tips

To highlight the tropical fruit flavor characteristics of this coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's roaster used a medium-light roast for these coffee beans. For brewing medium-light roasted beans, 90-91°C is recommended. Using higher water temperature can extract aromatic substances and acidity from light roasted beans (tropical fruit aroma and tropical fruit acidity). Because medium-light roasted beans have harder density, increasing water temperature can improve extraction efficiency of coffee grounds, avoiding sharp acidity.

The V60 conical filter has a larger opening, and its unique spiral rib design allows air to be more easily discharged, thereby improving extraction quality. The body might not be rich enough, but its high concentration brings out sweet and sour flavors and prominent aroma, which is one of its major characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters

Filter: V60

Water Temperature: 90-91°C

Coffee Amount: 15g

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: Fine sugar size (80% retention on #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Technique

First segment: pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 95g more (scale shows around 125g), completed in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows around 225g), completed in about 1 minute and 35 seconds. Drip completes at 2'04", remove the filter cup, extraction complete.

Brewing Flavor: Tropical fruit acidity of mango and pineapple, fermented sensation, almond in the middle section, with fructose aftertaste.

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