South American Coffee Beans - Premium Coffee Bean Recommendations

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

FrontStreet Coffee · El Salvador

Active volcanic activity has brought mineral-rich volcanic ash to El Salvador. The soil composition, primarily consisting of volcanic ash, contains more minerals and less organic matter. Therefore, to maintain soil fertility and compensate for the lack of organic matter, Salvadoran farmers use processed coffee pulp residue or organic matter under coffee trees as fertilizer. This supplements the relatively deficient organic matter in the soil, enabling coffee trees to produce coffee beans with harmonious flavors.

El Salvador's most significant innovation has been introducing organic agriculture to the world, cultivating over 150,000 tons of organic coffee annually. El Salvador coffee has six major producing regions, mostly distributed on high mountain slopes or plateau areas above 1,200 meters elevation, covered with volcanic ash. The coffee harvesting season runs from November to April of the following year. Since coffee thrives in mild climates, Salvadoran coffee trees are predominantly grown under tall, shade-providing trees (shade grown coffee) to avoid excessive temperatures and direct sunlight exposure that could affect coffee bean quality.

The coffee beans produced belong to the Arabica species, with Pacas and Bourbon as the main varieties. These are large beans, and FrontStreet Coffee's El Salvador coffee has sweet flavors and excellent taste characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee · Nicaragua

Nicaragua's coffee is mainly produced in its central and northern regions. The widespread volcanic ash and shade-growing cultivation methods produce high-quality Nicaraguan coffee with moderate, gentle flavors and slight acidity, making it suitable for blended coffee. Shade cultivation is its characteristic, and coffee beans are processed using the washed method and sun-dried.

Compared to other countries, Nicaraguan coffee beans are relatively large. Especially the Maragogipe (a coffee tree variety known as elephant beans due to their large size) from the Matagalpa region has a clear taste and excellent mellow richness. This round and smooth texture has received high praise in the market.

FrontStreet Coffee · Honduras

Previously, Honduras had low visibility in the consumer market due to lack of strong support in raw bean processing and transportation. In recent years, Honduras has actively transformed its coffee industry and expanded sales, gradually gaining international recognition for its coffee. Honduras harvests three million bags of coffee annually, providing the world with perfect coffee and unique coffee aromas. With abundant quantity and excellent quality, it has now become the second-largest coffee exporter in Central America and the tenth-largest in the world.

Honduran coffee is divided into six major producing regions, distributed across the western and southern areas: Copan, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, Agalta Tropical, and El Paraiso. The average cultivation height is above 1,100 meters elevation.

Honduran coffee has first-class quality and is also the most competitively priced among Central American countries. It is mainly exported to the United States, Germany, and Japan. The coffee varieties are 100% Arabica, with 69% classified as HG grade, 12% as SHG, and 19% as CS. Main varieties include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Villa Sarchi, and Lempira.

FrontStreet Coffee · Guatemala

Guatemala is located at approximately 15 degrees latitude. Due to its extensive mountain ranges, regional climate variations are significant, creating eight major coffee producing regions. All are located on highland terrain under subtropical climate conditions, with abundant and stable rainfall and fertile volcanic ash soil—providing an excellent environment. The coffee beans produced are all Arabica, each with different flavors and characteristics. With superior acidity and fruity smoothness, they rank among the world's top-tier coffees. FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala coffee is suitable for single-origin brewing.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama

Panama's coffee flavor and texture are moderate and uniform, quite similar in character to FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee. FrontStreet Coffee's Panama coffee is very smooth, with full-bodied beans that are light in weight and have perfectly balanced acidity. Its high-quality coffee beans have pure and distinctive flavors, and medium roasting is recommended.

Most Panama coffee belongs to the medium and low-price range, but in recent years, Panama has actively promoted specialty coffee and has sold high-quality coffee beans at high prices in competition auctions, receiving worldwide attention for its performance. Good Panama beans, with their clean, clear, bright, and gentle taste, and moderate body performance, are impressive. Coffee connoisseurs consider them one of the excellent coffees. Many buyers like to use Panama beans for blends, and almost all high-quality coffee beans are exported to France and Finland.

Brewing Recommendations:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 88-90°C

Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour until reaching 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back flavor profiles. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing the pour helps extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473