About This Coffee
Alimsa Café is an El Salvadoran family business that is dedicated to the cultivation, process, and export of their coffee. Today, the 7th generation of the family is involved in the business, constantly adapting to the current conditions.
Manuel Ariz left Spain in the 1860s to make his fortune in the Americas. He landed in Guatemala and later moved to El Salvador with his new wife, Josefa Herrera. Soon after arriving in El Salvador, Manuel began building coffee growing and processing operations in Ataco, El Salvador. His descendants expanded their operations to include a dry mill in Santa Ana, a region well known for producing outstanding coffee in nutrient-rich volcanic soils. Today, Finca Villa España and their Galicia coffee mill in Chalchuapa, Santa Ana are operated by 7th generation descendants of Manuel and Josefa. They grow, process and export the family’s coffees. Their operations are fully vertically integrated from production to export and now, even to roasting. They built a small roastery to add value and roast and sell coffee in El Salvador.
Cultivation
The Ariz family is focused on continuing to improve and renovate their farm year on year. They have an on-farm nursery where they grow seedlings of the 16 varieties that they cultivate on the farm. They are constantly renovating their trees to ensure rootstock remains young and productive.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Coffee is selectively handpicked and processed on Finca Villa España. Selected cherry is pulped at the mill before being laid on patios and raised beds to dry. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 7 to 10 days for parchment to dry.
Coffee in El Salvador
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.