A Buyer’s Guide to El Salvador Coffee
Do you enjoy smooth, sweet coffee with just the appropriate amount of acidity and complexity to pique your interest? So we will introduce an El Salvador coffee origin you may have overlooked.
El Salvador’s high-quality, shade-grown Arabica coffee is known among coffee industry insiders, if not the general drinking population. It is, after all, the birthplace of two of the most coveted varieties, Pacas and Pacamara.
Keep reading to know what else you’ve been missing out on from this small but valuable growing region and our selections for the best El Salvador coffee beans.
El Salvador Coffee History
Coffee has played an important part in the history and development of El Salvador since its introduction in the late nineteenth century. By 1920, coffee exports accounted for 90% of the country’s commerce and were a major economic engine. This tiny, highly populated country was rated fourth in the world among coffee growers in the 1970s!
Eventually, in 1979, a civil war erupted. El Salvador’s coffee output plummeted when the war ended in 1992, and it faced more competition from other origins.
El Salvador Coffee – Growing Regions
Despite its tiny size, El Salvador has a remarkable increase in regional variety. Mountain ranges, like wherever else in the globe, provide the finest conditions for growing coffee. It is located in the country’s west and includes the Santa Ana volcano, whose rich volcanic soil is home to some of El Salvador’s greatest coffee estates.
El Salvador Coffee – Quality
El Salvador has several mountains and volcanoes that’s why the soil is rich in nutrients. A natural canopy may shelter coffee plants from the sun and wind. The majority of coffee farms are located at a high elevation. This results in lengthier cultivation times but of the greatest quality. Beans have a little acidity and a pleasant flavor.
El Salvador has its own system of grading. The height of the producing ground is used to grade coffee and only arabica plants are growing in El Salvador. The grading method is divided into three categories: Central Standard, High Grown, and Strictly High Grown.
If you want the best quality beans, choose the ‘Strictly High Grown’ grade. The end product will be a well-balanced coffee with sweet citrus aromas and a buttery texture. It will get you up and going like no other coffee.
Coffee grown in the nation has the following qualities in general:
- The coffee has overtones of nuts, chocolate, and caramel. Several folks report getting dark stone fruit notes as well.
- Coffee beans are often quite fine and complicated in form.
- The coffee’s acidity ranges from moderate to mellow, making it ideal for drinking.
- El Salvadoran coffee beans have a strong, sweet aroma.
- The fragrances of the bean may conjure up images of honey and brown sugar.
El Salvador Coffee – Varieties
As previously stated, all coffee bushes in El Salvador are arabica species. The arabica species can now have several variations (due to natural mutation or hybrids created by man). Some of these coffee types produce better coffee than others.
Bourbon
This cultivar is prized for its chocolatey and buttery flavors. Because there are fewer coffee cherries in the tree. It sells for a greater price than other types (resulting in the collection of fewer beans per plant but higher quality). This cultivar has nothing to do with the Bourbon spirit. The name Bourbon is derived from an island (now known as Reunion) where the variety was discovered for the first time (because of natural mutation).
Pacas
This is a natural hybrid of the Bourbon and one of the beans used to make the Pacamara varieties.
Pacamara
The Salvadoran Center of Coffee Research produced this varietal. When brewed, the bean is rather big and creates a profound taste. Pacamara has a sizable fan base in the coffee community.
Caturra
Similar to the Borbon type, but of lower quality since the bush produces more fruit.
Catuai
This type is a hybrid that was developed in Brazil and is now cultivated across South America.
If you are looking for decaf coffee in Baltimore, MD, or wholesale or El Salvador coffee importers in the USA, call Keffa Coffee at 877-213-8565. Founded in 2006 by owner Samuel Demisse, Keffa understands that every business needs someone to believe in them. They work with roasters of all sizes; those who are brand new, and those who are well-versed.
