El Salvador Coffee Processing Experiment Success!

At no point in the history of coffee production have the processing and fermentation steps been so diverse and focused on experimentation. Recently, an El Salvadoran coffee farm performed an experiment on a fully ripe Pacamara varietal. Andrew Blyth and Joe Borg dive into who the farm is and what they’ve accomplished!

Changes in Coffee Trends

Originally, communication with origin partners was reserved solely for Importers and Exporters. Nowadays, we live in a world where everyone can reach everyone. From farmers large and small to roasters, green coffee buyers, baristas, and more, communication has never been easier. With more ways to communicate, information has become more globally accessible. The internet has allowed people to constantly come up with new ideas, and the world of coffee is no exception. Farmers and mills everywhere are trying new methods and measurements in the hopes of achieving the highest possible cupping score. We even see coffee growers all over the world learning about Anaerobic processing from producers in other countries, just through social media! However, we are the cuppers, importers, roasters, and buyers of the world. What does this mean for us?

It means a number of things! Firstly, we get to be the proud guinea pigs for these experiments, often the first ones to try the results. After trying them, we have to provide constructive feedback and assess price potential and customer response. While we’re excited about all the new processes and profiles, we have to put thought into what customers truly want. We also need to think about the realistic quantity in which a coffee can be roasted and sold within it’s peak window of freshness.

Successful El Salvador Coffee Experiments

Having gone through the above steps, we’re excited to announce a successful experiment from one of our strongest partners in the Apenaca-Ilamatepec region of El Salvador! Recently, the farm of Las Laderas experimented with a fully ripe Pacamara varietal. After picking ripe cherries, they divided the selection into three separate groups. One was washed with traditional fermentation. Another portion was left with the mucilage on as a classic honey process. Finally, the third was a full sun-dried natural.

Fernando Lima, Finca Las Laderas Producer

Las Laderas has been owned by the Lima family for three generations, dating back to 1930. Interestingly, the farm is named due to its naturally slopy terrain, with Las Laderas translating to “The Hillside.” At first, the property was uncultivated lands. Because of that, each generation has been planting little by little. Now it’s become a 300-person operation over the course of nearly a century! The family’s hard work and dedication have led them to be Rain Forest Certified, and they’ve won the Cup of Excellence four times.

Explore These New Offerings

Available from the Royal NY Line Up, we invite you to dive into each differently-processed Pacamara! Every linked coffee has an in-depth description of our roasting process as well as what we found in the cup. If you purchase all three, we can see them doing well as a coffee flight offering in a café. Or, maybe you can pick your favorite process as a feature for your subscription customers. We also understand if you decide to roast the box and keep it for yourself – there are no bad options. You can try one or try them all, but most importantly: enjoy!

Natural Process El Salvador Pacamara – RNY # 55262

Honey Process El Salvador Pacamara – RNY # 55263

Washed Process El Salvador Pacamara – RNY # 55264