About This Coffee
Rafael Alvarez Lalinde established Finca La Reforma in 1892. Rafael emigrated from his native Colombia with some of his best coffee seeds to begin a new coffee venture in the humid environs of Santa Ana volcano. Now, over 100 years and 4 generations later, Rafael’s descendants still own and manage Finca La Reforma, along with several other nearby farms and El Borbollon wet mill, where this lot was processed.
The Alvarez family continues to support their local community. Recently, they have partnered with a local NGO, Libras De Amor (Pounds of Love), that is focused on addressing malnutrition in children in rural communities in El Salvador.
Cultivation
Finca La Reforma uses native shade species to provide a canopy of shade for coffee trees. Shade trees moderate temperature and sun exposure for coffee trees, prevent soil erosion and provide habitats for birds and other wildlife.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is handpicked by trained staff who select only ripe cherry. Cherry deliverd to El Borbollon, where it is floated to separate by density and then laid to dry on shaded raised beds. Cherry dries for about 20 days.
Working together, the Alvarez family manages the entire production process. Their likeminded focus on quality and meticulous attention to detail at every stage helps them produce excellent lots year after year. Many Alvarez family members and their staff are skilled cuppers. They cup and re-cup their coffee religiously to maintain their strict quality standards.
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.