El Salvador Finca Lemus “Bella Vista” Natural Processed

Description

This coffee is grown on Finca Lemus Bella Vista, located in the municipality of Concepción de Ataco within the department of Ahuachapán, El Salvador. It’s a 37 acre farm owned by Thelma de Gutierrez and managed by her husband, José Enrique Gutiérrez. This husband and wife team has used their experience as third generation coffee producers to improve the productivity and health of the farm, which includes the production and application of microbial compost teas on the farm. In the last two years, the couple has also diversified the farm with the production of beans, which ensure food security for the family and also act as nitrogen fixers that promote the coffee plants health and cherry production.

Tasting Notes: A wonderful very fruit forward El Salvador coffee. Light roasts are full of lemony red fruit tones, on the sweet side, slightly floral, balanced with a dry nutty/chocolaty undertone. A bit front loaded, the lighter tones dominate the cup with just hints of the dry nutty lingering in the aftertaste. Medium roasts develop the darker tones nicely turning it much more chocolaty with strong red fruit accents. Not quite as lemony and would still be considered a very fruit forward cup. Many will like the medium roast best for its sweet and smooth while maintaining those lovely exotic natural processed tones. Darker roasts drop out most of the acidity but still retain a bit of fruity factor balanced though with a strong and semi-sweet smoky bakers chocolate note.

Roasting Notes: A bit chaff heavy and slightly uneven roasting (compared to a washed processed) but a gem of a bean, larger screen and very low defect count. To see it shine keep it before the second crack. Clean enough for light roasts but will have very potent fruity notes that might be too much for some. Right at first crack is where one will get those dry nutty undertones, any development past that will bring a much richer and developed darker tone. Setup at any roast level really helps smooth out the cup tone and pop out many more little delicate flavor notes.