El Salvador SHG Finca Los Naranjos Microlot – Roasted Coffee

Taste & Crema

The El Salvador SHG Finca Los Naranjos Microlot is characterized by a wonderful taste of milk chocolate and a unique, distinctive aroma. The cup provides a rich experience with a touch of hazelnut, the acidity is low. The coffee is very smooth and is perfect for espresso.

Origins

The uniqueness of this batch is demonstrated by the abbreviation SHG in its name. It stands for Strictly High Growing, meaning a coffee grown exclusively in high mountain conditions in altitudes of 1000-2000m.

The family farm is surrounded by the greenery covering the eponymous volcano. It can be found between the towns of Los Naranjos and Juayúa, about an hour's drive from Santa Ana, El Salvador's second largest city. Coffee trees grow in the shade of cypress trees in high altitudes. This gives the fruit its exclusive qualities and its nickname: One of the most remarkable coffees in the world.

The coffee is exclusively harvested by hand. This ensures that only ripe fruit is harvested, while at the same time not damaging the coffee trees. The red coffee cherries must be processed within 24 hours. Despite the fact that the farm has an elaborate system of waterways and tanks, the so-called fully-washed, wet-processed coffee is a tricky and demanding process. It can spoil the entire harvest. But when washed by an experienced and responsible farmer, the coffee at the end of the process is rich in fruity undertones, pure and wonderfully intense.

The fruit of the coffee trees is first poured into large tanks of water. They pass through a special machine that removes the pulp and skins. The shelled beans go into fermentation vats where they stay for up to 36 hours. The water releases enzymes that break down the sticky layer and at the same time rid the grains of their parchment coverings. Fermentation is closely monitored, the plantation manager oversees the temperature of the vats and the duration. The final step is drying. The El Salvador SHG Finca Los Naranjos Microlot was dried on sunny terraces. Workers spread the coffee beans on concrete surfaces and periodically rake and turn them. The terraces must be covered with tarpaulins at night and when it rains to prevent the coffee from getting wet.

Anyone interested in microlots should know that El Salvador SHG Finca Los Naranjos is a Bourbon Arabica coffee variety. The farmer grows his own young seedlings, so it is not an import. Bourbon has relatively small fruits that drop easier than other varieties. On the other hand, they have a balanced taste and excellent quality.