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A Sweet and Rich Honduras San Juan Cidra Premium Coffee Bean: Origin, Development, History, and Culture

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, For coffee production, Honduras's geographical conditions are no less favorable than its neighboring coffee-producing countries such as Guatemala and Nicaragua. Honduras has 280,000 hectares of coffee farms, predominantly small-scale operations with most farms being smaller than 3.5 hectares. These coffee plantations account for sixty percent of Honduras's total coffee production. In the coffee farms, because the growing areas belong to

Whiskey barrel-treated Sherry coffee beans

When it comes to the hottest coffee at the end of 2019, FrontStreet Coffee would definitely say it's the whiskey barrel-treated Sherry from Honduras. This coffee became so popular that almost every café was competing for it, and it was sold at extremely high prices. The reason? This coffee has an intense sherry barrel flavor with rich, complex layers. Of course, besides Sherry, Honduras has other coffees worth trying. Have you tried coffee from San Juan?

Country Profile

Honduras is located in northern Central America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Gulf of Fonseca in the Pacific Ocean to the south. It shares borders with Nicaragua and El Salvador to the east and south, and Guatemala to the west. The country is predominantly mountainous and plateau terrain. With a tropical climate featuring moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall, it provides ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

Honduras produces two exceptionally high-quality coffees that are highly regarded by coffee enthusiasts. One is "Highland Coffee," grown at elevations between 1,000-1,500 meters, and the other is "Selected Highland Coffee," grown at 1,500-2,000 meters, representing Honduras' highest grade. Most Honduran coffee is exported to the United States and Germany.

In terms of coffee production, Honduras' geographical conditions are comparable to its neighboring coffee-producing countries like Guatemala and Nicaragua. Honduras has 280,000 hectares of coffee farms, predominantly small-scale operations with most farms being smaller than 3.5 hectares. These small plantations account for sixty percent of Honduras' total coffee production. In the mountainous growing regions, coffee beans are hand-picked and carefully processed to produce higher quality beans. Honduras harvests three million bags of coffee annually, offering both quantity and quality, and has become one of the world's top ten coffee-exporting countries.

Honduran coffee beans are large in size, uniform in shape, and have a consistent, glossy color. For harvesting convenience, farmers prune coffee trees to not exceed 150 centimeters in height, as taller trees would require ladders for picking, which is time-consuming and could damage the trees by bending branches. Since each coffee fruit ripens at different times, manual harvesting is necessary to maintain quality, followed by careful selection of ripe fruits. Coffee fruits from the same branch often require several weeks to complete harvesting.

Coffee Regions

Honduras has six main coffee-producing regions, including five adjacent western areas: Santa Barbara, Copán, Ocotepeque, Lempira, La Paz, and El Paraíso in the southeast. Honduran coffee generally has lower acidity with a heavier caramel sweetness. Coffees from these five different regions have slightly different flavors—some with slightly stronger acidity, others with unique aromas. While the quality is currently excellent, the country's coffee prices remain quite competitive as it continues to build its reputation.

High-quality Honduran coffee uses the washed processing method. The process typically begins with soaking, where defective fruits float to the surface and can be discarded. Then, good fruits are placed in a depulper machine, where rotational force removes the fruit skin. The depulped fruits are screened by machine to select the highest quality beans. Typically, larger fruits represent better maturity. Honduran coffee is sun-dried, which gives it a subtle fruit aroma in its flavor profile.

Regions & Estates

San Juan Ciato is a small village located 40 kilometers northeast of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. It is situated within the buffer zone of La Tigra National Park, a rainforest ecosystem where the park serves as a massive water reservoir. Shade is provided by banana, avocado, and papaya trees.

Finca Altos de Erapuca is a cooperative organized by hundreds of coffee farmers in the San Juan Ciato region. Its charming farm features a washed processing plant and fermentation tanks.

Washed Processing Method

High-quality Honduran coffee uses the washed processing method. Coffee beans are hand-picked, with ripe fruits carefully selected—a process that often takes several weeks. The washed processing method involves soaking to identify and remove floating beans (defective beans), then machine removal of fruit pulp. Local farmers believe that larger fruits represent better maturity. The beans undergo 10-12 hours of fermentation, are then thoroughly washed, and finally dried on African drying beds for 8-10 days. This process results in a subtle fruit aroma in the flavor profile. The yield is higher, and the flavor features good acidity.

Variety: Catuai

Catuai is a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra. The fruit shape is quite similar to Bourbon, but it has higher yield per plant and features good acidity in its flavor profile.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Profile

Heat the drum to 200°C and add beans, with airflow set to 3. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 170°C, keeping airflow constant. At 5'45", when temperature reaches 151.7°C, the bean surface turns yellow and grassy aroma completely disappears, indicating dehydration is complete. Reduce heat to 140°C and increase airflow to 4. At the 9'00" mark, ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma—this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack begins at 8'23", reduce heat to 80°C, open airflow fully (adjust heat very carefully to maintain crack sounds), and finish at 202°C.

Cupping Flavor Description

Excellent sweetness, especially prominent caramel sweetness. The rich mouthfeel and intense oily sensation create a full body, with cream, roasted nuts, milk chocolate, and a slight bitterness.

Honduras San Juan Ciato

Country: Honduras
Region: San Juan Ciato
Estate: Finca Altos de Erapuca
Altitude: 1,300m
Variety: Catuai
Processing: Washed

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method

Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 88-89°C
Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 4
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Brewing Technique

Bloom time is 30 seconds. Water poured in stages: 30-125-225 grams.

Brewing Analysis

San Juan Ciato is roasted slightly darker. To reduce bitterness extraction, we chose a raw sugar grind size and lower water temperature to extract a full-bodied coffee liquid that fully expresses its caramel, cream, and nutty sweetness.

During blooming and the first pour, keep the water stream close to the coffee bed. At this stage, the coffee grounds absorb water and expand noticeably, with vigorous gas release and larger gaps between particles. A water stream that's too high will pass through the coffee grounds too quickly without sufficient extraction. During the second pour, the water stream height can be increased to stir the fine particles at the bottom of the filter, reducing clogging.