Finca Monte Urales, El SalvadorCoffee Bean Intro:

El Salvador is primarily divided into five major coffee-growing regions: Apaneca, Central Belt, Chichontepec, Tecapa & Cacahuatique Mountain Range. These regions are generally located on volcanic ash-covered highland slopes or plateaus at altitudes above 1,200 meters. Most of the coffee here is grown using the “shade-grown” method (cultivation under tree shade). This method has several advantages: coffee cherries ripen more uniformly, the mucilage content increases, bean density is higher, and there’s a greater chance for sweet polyphenols to form, allowing the main components of the coffee bean to develop fully. In contrast, coffee trees exposed to excessive sunlight tend to have curled leaf edges, leading to moisture loss. This hinders photosynthesis, reduces carbon dioxide absorption, and lowers sugar synthesis.

　　Apaneca

This is the largest coffee-producing region in El Salvador. Despite frequent volcanic activity in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, it does not affect the production of high-quality coffee here.

The region features four volcanoes, with Santa Ana Volcano (also known as Ilamatepec Volcano) being the most prominent. Coffee is grown on the slopes on both sides of the mountain range. In 2005, this area was affected by ash from an eruption of Santa Ana Volcano, which had a significant impact on the region for the following two years, causing most coffee farms to halt production for two years.

　　Monte Urales

Finca Monte Urales (named after the Ural Mountains in Russia due to its high altitude) has been part of the family since 1969. Coralia Smith de Ramirez, the daughter of a British immigrant to El Salvador who married a local man, purchased the farm, seeing it as a great investment for the future. After her passing, she left the farm to her son, who now manages it along with his grandson.

Finca Monte Urales is located at the heart of El Salvador’s main “forest conservation road,” which is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor system stretching from Mexico to Panama. In El Salvador, over 80% of the country’s coffee is produced under shade, and this ecosystem is primarily built around coffee forests. For this reason, coffee farms like Urales play a crucial role for hundreds of migratory and native bird species found in this region of the world.

Finca Monte Urales is a well-managed, professional estate with strict management, attention to detail, and up-to-date agricultural practices. The farm employs several long-term workers to assist with year-round labor—Rolando is the overall person in charge. Fertilization is carried out four times a year, always based on soil and foliar analysis. Most importantly, environmental management is a top priority for the farm. The coffee at Urales is 100% shade-grown to protect wildlife and help mitigate global warming. To prevent soil erosion, the farm has recently implemented an extensive “micro-terracing” program, a very important step in this steep rural area. Water conservation is also a major focus, with measures in place to protect local aquifers.

Similarly, great care is taken during harvesting. During peak harvest season, temporary workers are brought in to help. Coffee is hand-picked, with only the ripest cherries being selected. Once enough coffee is collected, it is sent to the “La Labor” wet mill in San Antonio or to Karlo’s own wet mill in Ahuachapán.

Coffee Varieties

Bourbon is a mutation of Typica and, along with Typica, is one of the oldest surviving coffee varieties. Its green fruit turns bright red when ripe. Compared to Typica, Bourbon has broader leaves, denser growth, and slightly higher yield, but it also shares the same two-year harvest cycle, making it a low-yield variety. However, it offers high-quality flavor profiles, with wine-like acidity and a sweet aftertaste. The coffee beans are larger in size, uniform, and have a consistent, glossy color. To facilitate harvesting, farmers prune the coffee trees to a height of no more than 150 cm.

            Honey Process

The honey process, also called Honey Process or Miel Process, is often misunderstood as involving the use of honey in processing or resulting in a honey flavor. In reality, the honey process involves removing the fruit’s flesh and drying the beans while still covered with the mucilage-covered parchment. During the drying process, the sticky mucilage on the bean’s surface loses moisture and becomes as viscous as honey—hence the name.

      The green beans have relatively low moisture content, SHB grade, with average texture and a faint fermented aroma.

      First crack starts at 5:20, first crack ends at 8:45, temperature at 185.1°C, beans are dropped at 1:50 after first crack, temperature at 195.5°C