Jose Mauricio
Exceptional Coffee from Honduras
This month, we feature an exceptional micro-lot from José Mauricio, a third-generation farmer in the westernmost region of Ocotepeque, Honduras.
José, alongside his family, manages the Finca el Encinon, a 2.5-hectare farm situated at an elevation of 1482 meters above sea level.
José is part of the cooperative CAFESMO, our long-time direct trade partner.
Coffee from Honduras
In the past decade, Honduras has doubled its coffee production, ranking as the world's fourth-largest exporter, predominantly driven by the 110,000 smallholder farmers managing an average plot size of just 2.21 hectares.
Despite the modest statistics, José's coffee stands out with exceptional quality and delightful flavours: A result of his family's meticulous cultivation practices.
Small Trees With High Yield
This coffee is a single-variety Pacas lot, which José grows alongside Caturra. Like Caturra, Pacas originates as a natural mutation of Bourbon and was discovered in El Salvador by the Pacas family.
Pacas trees are known for their small size, which yield higher outputs and enhance planting density and thus efficiency.
Finca el Encinon showcases the harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, presenting a single-variety Pacas lot that not only honors the growing Honduran coffee heritage but also delights coffee connoisseurs like you and me.
The Flavour Profile
In many ways, this coffee reminds us of past Honduran coffees in our lineup. Not quite as juicy or fruity as its Colombian counterpart, but sweet and balanced, working equally well as both filter coffee and espresso.
On the cupping table, this coffee presented tasting notes reminiscent of white or green grapes, apricot, honey and macadamia nuts.
Specifications
Country: Honduras
Region: Ocotepeque
Producer: José Mauricio Rivera, Finca El Encinon
Variety: Pacas
Process: Fully washed
Altitude: 1420-1480 m
Harvest: March 2023
Notes: Green grapes, apricot, honey and macadamia nuts
Our Purchase
We have paid $8.81/kg for the coffee through Algrano.
The market price at the time of the contract was $4.30/kg.
Our payment above market price: 105%
Read about why we pay more for our coffee HERE.
Sebastian's Guide
A Delicious Coffee Brew
To unlock the potential of this coffee, we recommend using the recipe below. It highlights the sweetness and balance of the coffee.
Measurements
18g of ground coffee
(32 clicks on the Comandante or 950 microns)
300g of soft filtered water at 95°C
Guide
Start the timer and pour 50g of water to bloom
(Make sure all the coffee is completely soaked)
At 1:30 pour up to 300g water in approximately 45 seconds
The brew should finish in approximately 3 minutes depending on your grinder and your grind setting.
Enjoy!
Grind coarser if the brew tastes bitter and dry.
Grind finer if it tastes weak and unbalanced.
