Las Mercedes - El Salvador

Red Grape | Blackberry | Cola

Country: El Salvador
Region: San Salvador Volcan
Variety: Marsellesa 
Process: Honey

This is a coffee with a lot of sweetness and plenty of acidity to make this a dream to dial in across the brewing spectrum.

For six generations, the Aguilar family has produced coffee on the shade-rich land on the north-eastern slope of the San Salvador Volcano, with a direct view over the capital city of San Salvador. The estates cover nearly 160 hectares at altitudes ranging from 1,250 to 1,700 meters, the top of the farm being unusually high for El Salvador and lending to great coffee growing potential.

The Las Mercedes honey method is a holistic process which accounts for everything from harvestThrough to dry mill delivery. Before harvest cherry brix readings are taken, with cherries being harvested above a level of 24, sometimes reaching as high as 28-29. The cherries at this level are a deep red-purple colour. The cherries are de-pulped retaining a high amount of mucilage and then dried on raised beds for 22 days, including both sun and shade, a new method which Fernando is calling ‘Sol-Sambra” (sun-shadow) drying.

If you’re brewing filter or espresso based drinks then you should be able to manipulate the flavours to suit you preferences quite easily – a shorter, lower extraction will push the brightness up, with more fresh grape and tart blackberry notes being the big hitters; you’ll still get loads of sweetness too but it’ll be more like a fresh fruit experience than if you push your brews further. Longer, fuller extractions will move more towards red grape Shloer and lots of cola (think something like Fentimans rather than Coca Cola) – the acidity become sparkling when it has more body and sweetness to support it.

  Grind: If you need your coffee ground, select on the dropdown. Let us know in the "Special Instructions" if there is any other specific brew method you need the coffee ground for.