El Salvador Los Pirineos Honey

This El Salvador is a black honey processed (puled natural) coffee on the Los Pirineos estate. It is the Bourbon Elite varietal which is an old heirloom El Salvador varietal which has now become very rare, even in El Salvador. The farm is at the top of the Tecapa Volcano. In addition to actively growing around 20 different varietals of coffee, Los Pirineos also keeps its own coffee variety garden and nursery containing approximately 70 different varieties of coffees.

Being a black honey coffee, it is sweet with a creaminess and has mild fruity undertones. Caramel, black cherry, grape, earl grey, citrus. The fruit is less prominent than in a natural-processed coffee, but it is apparent and the coffee is fantastic. 

By definition, a honey coffee has had the sugars of the coffee fruit imbued into the pit during the processing, so it is a delicate bean that is susceptible to scorching. Home roasting units won't have a problem, and it does well in air roasters, but if you have a large drum roaster, don't preheat it above 350 degrees. Then nudge the heat up gently, evenly, get it through the 1st cracks, maybe wait 30 seconds, let it out. If in doubt, err on the side of being too light. As you get darker, its still nice, but it loses its undertones, however, honey coffees do add a lot of sweetness and crema to espresso blends at this roast level. As you get into the 2nd cracks the sugars burn and it loses its appeal altogether. Try to keep the roast at 15 minutes or less.

US Arrival: September 2024