El Salvador El Carmen
El Carmen Estate is located in El Salvador’s Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, one of Central America’s prime specialty coffee producing areas. The estate has been farmed by the Alfaro family for over a century.
El Carmen is an extremely well-run specialty Estate and is managed with scrupulous attention to detail, with great emphasis placed on maintaining the identity of each lot from the moment its coffee cherries are harvested until the point when the green beans are ready for export. The estate’s coffee is produced under approximately 60% shade cover, which is required for the coffee to ripen evenly. Prior to the rainy season, shade trees are then pruned to about 40% shade to allow the access of light necessary for new foliage growth.
This lot is comprised of Elite Bourbon (Bourbon Mejorado), a new locally developed varietal. They are tall trees, producing excellent-quality beans. El Carmen has 10 hectares of Elite Bourbon, completely separated from the other varietals on the farm.
During the harvest, the cherries are hand-picked only when perfectly ripe and delivered to the mill located at the farm. The cherries are sorted for quality, then placed into containers with water and a cocktail of mountain microorganisms, fungus, and bacteria to ferment for 192 hours sealed. This slows down the fermentation process and prevents any growth of mould. Afterwards, the cherries are evenly dispersed on raised beds to dry in the open sun for 25 – 30 days, with constant raking to prevent any mould development. Once drying is complete, the coffee is hulled and prepared for export.
*Our coffee is freshly roasted each Monday & Thursday and orders are dispatched on Wednesday and Friday with Royal Mail Tracked 48. Please allow 2-3 business days for your order to arrive.
Roast Profile
Light
Notes Of
Producer / Region
Fernando Alfaro
Variety
Elite Bourbon
Process
Anaerobic Natural
Altitude
1300 MASL
OUR GUARANTEE
We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service and with that our coffee quality also.
So we guarantee that if you really dont love the coffee you purchase from us, we'll help make it right!
BREW GUIDES ☕️
- Grind 14g of coffee on a medium-fine grind
- Wet the plunger then push the plunger into the end of the brewing chamber
- Place filter paper into filter chamber and rinse paper with warm water (carefully)
- Place Aeropress on your scale in the inverted position (upside down) and tare scales.
- Add ground coffee to your Aeropress.
- Using freshly boiled water straight off the boil, start a timer, add 60g of water and give a short stir.
- After 30 seconds add another 170g of water, bringing your total water up to 230g
- Leave your Aeropress to brew for 3 minutes
- At the 3 minute mark carefully attach your filter chamber with filter paper
- Hold a mug or vessel on top of your Aeropress and carefully flip over
- Gently push down to extract all the coffee from the Aeropress
- Remove and enjoy.
Chipp Tip
If you don't have scales a typical coffee scoop will give you roughly 15-17g of ground coffee.
View the full guide here.
- Grind your coffee to a medium-coarse grind
- Weigh out your coffee, we always recommend 60g coffee to 1 litre of water. For example: 400ml brew = 24g coffee
- Using fresh water, boil your kettle, fold the filter paper into your Chemex and flush with hot water to pre heat the Chemex and remove any papery taste. Discard the water
- Pour the ground coffee into the Chemex paper and gently shake to even out the coffee bed
- Start a timer then begin to bloom your coffee by pouring enough water to just cover and wet all the coffee and leave to steep for 30 seconds
- At 30 seconds begin to gradually add the rest of the water until all your water is added by 1 minute 30 seconds
- Allow the coffee to drain through the filter. If your grind is correct this should take approximately 5 minutes in total
- Pour and enjoy
Chipp Tip
If you don't have scales a typical coffee scoop will give you roughly 15-17g of ground coffee.
View the full guide here.
What you’ll need:
- Fresh coffee
- A jug / french press / or best a Cold Brew Coffee Maker
- A fine strainer or filter papers
Here’s founder Zach's personal recipe:
- 32.5g coarsely ground coffee
- Add 500ml of fresh filtered water.
- Give it a little stir
- Leave it in the fridge for 8-12 hours.
- Strain through a V60 02 or the Hario Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Dose: 18 grams
Brew time: 25-30 sec
Brew weight: 30-36 grams
This should be used a recommended start, not an absolute.
See how you get on and change your recipe to what suits you best and let us know what you find!
- Grind your coffee to a coarse grind
- Use a ratio of 60G Coffee to 1Ltr water
- In a 3 cup french press add 21g coffee (approx 3 scoops)
- Add 350ml boiling water
- Leave to brew for 4 minutes
- Use a spoon to gently stir the crust
- Leave the french press to brew and settle for a further 6 minutes.
- Add the plunger and gently press
Chipp Tip
Being patient with your French Press will make sure you have an even better coffee experience and making sure to use scales and freshly ground coffee will help elevate that cup of morning java even further!
View the full guide here.
- Grind your coffee a little coarser than table salt. You will need approx 15-17g of coffee.
- Boil your kettle with fresh water.
- Add your boiled water to the brewing chamber, just up to the fill line.
- Fill the basket with coffee, slightly mounded, and level the surface off with your finger. Brush away loose grounds on the top edge of the filter basket.
- Carefully screw the top of the brewer to the bottom not over-tightening it.
- Place the Moka pot on your stove over a medium heat ensuring the handle is not in any direct heat.
- Keep the lid open and wait for the coffee to extract into the top chamber.
- Once the coffee starts to bubble out of the inner spout and no more liquid emerges carefully take the Moka pot off the heat and run the bottom chamber under a cold tap to stop any further extraction.
- Pour and enjoy.
Chipp Tip
If you don't have scales a typical coffee scoop will give you roughly 15-17g of ground coffee.
