El Salvador Santa Ana Honey

This El Salvador is a natural sundried processed coffee from the Santa Ana region which is made up of small farmers . in the region. They grow the coffee at 3000 to 4000 feet up in the mountains, mostly of Pacas and Bourbon varietals. The farmers divide their harvest into washed, honey, and natural coffee processing. This year we are stocking the natural and honey beans.

Honey coffees from Central America tend to be creamy with fruity and sweet qualities to it. this one is not particularly fruity, but it does have creamy milk chocolate and sweetness at a light roast level. You could convince me of black cherry and caramel if I use my imagination a bit. A coffee like this appeals to pretty much everyone, because if they want "normal coffee" it's not so weird that they find it unusual. However, if you like interesting coffees, there is enough complexity here, that you can sip at it with great satisfaction and keep going back for a refill.

By definition, a honey coffee has had the sugars of the coffee fruit left on the pit during the processing, so it is a delicate bean that is susceptible to scorching. It is best to nudge the heat up gently, evenly, get it through the 1st cracks, maybe wait 30 to 45 seconds, let it out. As you get darker, its not bitter, but it loses its complexity and flattens out. Bythe time you get into the 2nd cracks the sugars burn and there isn't anything interesting left to take note of. Try to keep the roast at 15 minutes or less. There's a fairly large window here to end the roast where the flavor is pleasant and doesn't dramatically change on you.

Most honey coffees make a fantastic espresso with lots of crema when you take them to the 2nd cracks, but we don't think this one is particularly special as espresso. We recommend it as a light roast, brewed as coffee.

US Arrival April 2017